


World Like This

by nicoleiacross



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Alternate Universe - Merpeople, Big Sister Cindy, Canon-Typical Violence, M/M, Merpeople, Noct shows up way later, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Burn, Warnings May Change, big brother Loqi, world building
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-05
Updated: 2018-03-25
Packaged: 2019-03-14 07:05:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 47,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13584846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nicoleiacross/pseuds/nicoleiacross
Summary: Daemons may be a predominant threat to most of Eos; but, really, only to those living on the land.Beneath the surface exist Leviaens: Leviathan's children, half-human and half-sea creatures. For the most part, they're a relatively peaceful species; surviving in small communes and living a nomadic lifestyle to avoid human detection, as much as possible. Every nation handles the Leviaen presence differently, whether the Leviaens realise it or not.For one particular commune outside of Niflheim, the only thing that mattersisthe commune. At least, that's what Prompto always thought.{Updates Mondays!!}





	1. Foundations

The ocean is a cruel, unforgiving place.

Not just for humans or whatever else may reside on the land; but for the residents far beneath the waves as well. The reality that their home is just as likely to kill them as protect them is a lesson taught to Leviaens at a remarkably young age, along with many other life lessons. Leviathan would protect them just as readily as she would devour them. Humans were more likely to harm them than help them. Surface-dwellers were never to be trusted. Only your community would protect you.

These are lessons every infant learns, even before they can swim on their own. Before their gills develop properly and they can even attempt to brave the water with their families.

Community will protect them… or should.

It isn't often—at least, it's never publicly spoken of—but there are always extenuating circumstances. For those circumstances, it's a simple, uncontrolled matter of being born with one small, extra ability. Leviaens, so much as lore and myth can be trusted, are many things.

Powerful—bodies built to withstand the onslaught of currents; built with defense mechanisms in claws and fangs and species-based differences. Poison, for some; harder bodies for other; the ability to swim faster, swim longer; the possibilities are endless. What their creature brethren can do, they can.

Alluring—the siren's tale is nothing to scoff at. Humans that travel too close to communal grounds often meet extremely unfortunate ends, with the voices that dance off the craggy rocks, into shark-infested traps, whirlpools… the pitfalls are many. That isn't to say, however, a siren's voice is _only_ used for death. Vocal chords are one of their strongest properties—volumes outside of human comprehension, allowing them to commune with their deep sea brethren; to command, in some instances. Softer songs to call on Leviathan's graces, to mourn and ask for healing. Singing is as ingrained in their culture as family is.

But family… family can be broken. For all of Leviathan's gifts and blessings and her protection, there is one that isn't quite so accepted. Leviathan's curse, though the Astral would probably never condone such a name for any of her gifts, was one of her final offerings before her slumber. Every so often, a child is born with magic—it's rare to know how the magic manifests and many children never even realise they have it. They just assume the water obeys everyone. That everyone has a bio-luminescent ability ingrained in them—true and false. For many, the glow is natural and harmless. For others, the glow emits a soft aura of peace and healing. The magic is overlooked as an extension of their singing and _these_ lucky few are merely relegated to medical fields as witches.

Others aren't quite so lucky. Others bring fire and sparks and ice to the depths. Magic that could harm the community and magic that is quickly dispelled from the community.

Children cast out rarely survive on their own. If the sea doesn't devour them, the creatures will.

For Prompto… he may have a drawn a slightly luckier lot than others. His magic doesn't manifest until after he's comfortable swimming, thankfully. Some children aren't quite as lucky and are cast to the depths with no way to survive, period. He's ten when the first spark happens. In earlier years, he's just like his older siblings—the patch of scales down his back and his tail emit a soft glow, the same as Loqi's and Cindy's.

Cindy is a bit more extravagant than either of her brothers—the flourish around her hips creates a veil that trails behind her and follows her movements; her pectoral fins are equally appealing, along with the flourish at the end of her tail. A soft gold to compliment the pink body of her tail; reflective like the sun bouncing off the surface of the ocean at sunset. Graceful and distracting, the perfect build for a siren to distract sailors and lead them on a merry chase.

Loqi's flourish is a bit less showy, but still impressive. His flourish doesn't create a trail, but it does make a long line down his back, scales a bit more solid along his sides and even parts of his arms. His flourish is more like a spine, rigid and less showy than their sister's; dark red spines against a black tail. Some of the older Leviaens call it a dragon's ridge—similar to Leviathan's other spines—but none of them really pay it mind.It gives him a cutting advantage with speed and that's all that really seems to matter.

Prompto is the youngest of the three, at ten, hasn't quite grown into his pattern or his flourish. The beginnings of the sheer fins are evident, but nowhere near so showcase as his siblings. No matter, he still has at least four years to grow into them. The blue scales travel up his back, some scattered on his shoulders and chest, and a few speckling his face around a splash of freckles. Usually, only the scales down his back light up; but, sometimes, when he's particularly excited, the ones along his cheeks will glow. It's all in good fun.

By and far, Prompto's the only one in his age group within their commune. The closest to him is Loqi—four years older than him—and after that, it's a group five years younger than him, none of them able to swim on their own. Which is fine, really; Loqi and Cindy go out of their way to play with him instead of staying in their age groups—outside of lessons, of course; lessons they can't quite get out of, especially since Cindy's all involve learning to control the pitch and use of her voice. It's all in good fun.

All in good fun until they end up too far out from the community. Not even _far_ , but well out of anyone's sight. Though many of their species have an alliance with their brethren creatures, the three of them are still a bit too young to have any real sway over the creatures. Unfortunately, three children are very, _very_ easy prey for a school of sharks. The most they can rely on, at first, is the shrill scream Cindy manages to emit—a sharp wave of sonar that echoes through the small valley their commune's settled in for the moment, hopefully _reaching_ the commune or, at the very least, the perimeter guards. She holds the note as long as she can; but, she's still too young to hold the for more than a few minutes, and pulls both of her brothers close to her.

There is no way to shield them, not with the school circling them. The sharks are still a bit disoriented from the call for help; but, they can't run. Not fast enough to escape. If it were just her and Loqi, maybe, but not with Prompto. She can feel Loqi tense next to her, hands flexing the way they do before refining nail to claw. Built to survive… built to fight back… but in _groups_. They can't fight back, not when the youngest has his arms wrapped dangerously tight around his sister's waist, whimpering and trying to bite down the sobs. Cindy can't help fight and Loqi can't handle them on his own. If it was two or three, maybe; but not the seven circling them. She knows he'll still try, but there has to be another way—

The thought barely crosses her mind when one of the sharks finally recovers and breaks from the circle. The movement is slow, like it isn't sure she's going to scream again; she could try… but her throat is still protesting the last call; so, she just pulls Prompto and Loqi closer, trying to keep them _somewhat_ shielded. But, just as quickly as the shark rears to charge them, it freezes. All of the sharks freeze—some move further back—and Cindy and Loqi both startle. Loqi actually backs up a bit; but, Cindy can't. Not with Prompto attached to her.

Prompto's scales start to glow bright; vibrant blue and red and yellow. Not the way they do when he's happy—when he's happy it's always a steady yellow glow with a soft blue at the center that bounces off his scales. This is… different. Alarming and she's not really sure it's _good_ but the sharks aren't attacking. She looks back at Loqi; hesitating. Ideally, he should be able to make a break for it. He's smaller and faster than Cindy is… but she doesn't want to send him off alone. Honestly, she isn't sure he would even listen if she told him to run, even if it meant getting help.

Loqi's fins flare out, spines suddenly standing on ends—a sign of agitation, reflected in the surprise on his face—and he backs up further. When Cindy looks back down, she has to shield her eyes with a sharp wince. The glowing is becoming unbearable and they still don't know what it is. Prompto finally raises his head, finally seems to realise that something's wrong and just looks around, still hiccoughing quietly. A terrified whimper escapes when he sees one of the sharks closer—the one that broke off earlier. The whimper snaps the shark from its trance and, this time, it just swims straight for them.

Before Loqi or Cindy can even _try_ to react, Prompto turns sharply, burying his face back in Cindy's side, with a short, muffled scream and the glow pushes outward in a wide, violent ring of red and yellow. The shark charging them dissolves into black specs—some of the others suffer the same and others… they aren't really sure what happens. A crackling noise comes from them, small sparks like the lightning from the surface surrounding still bodies that slowly begin to float away with the current. Loqi's arm seems to have gotten caught by part of it, but he doesn't look too bothered. He probably hasn't even registered the dark red mark on his arm yet. Cindy looks back down, putting a gentle hand on Prompto's hair, trying to coax him to look up.

"Prom? It's okay now, darlin'… c'mon, we… we need to go home, okay? We need to go find ma an' pa… a-and get Lo looked at it so we can figure out what happened."

Fear isn't quite something Cindy's accustomed to feeling. She knows it exists, in some sense. She knows she's meant to fear certain creatures—sharks and orcas and the giant squid in the trenches… things that can hurt them. Fearing another Leviaen, though? Her _brother_ at that? Not something she's particularly used to. Unfortunately—or perhaps, fortunately—the words snap Loqi out of his daze and he shakes his head vehemently to argue.

"No! We can't tell them what happened, they're gonna take Prom—" he winces, quickly cradling his arm to his body with a muffled, short noise of distress and pain. He looks scared; but, not the same way Cindy feels, she reckons. When he looks back up, fear and disbelief fight for control when he shakes his head again. "You _know_ what just happened, Cin… and mom and dad are gonna know, too… and _then_ what?"

"I-it might not've been." She knows the argument is futile. Weak, at best; but… ultimately futile. They both know what happened, even if Prompto doesn't. She tries to smile when she feels his head raise and looks back down at him. "Y'ready to go home, Prom?"

His grip is still unbelievably tight for how small he is. He hiccoughs a few more times, looking around at the sharks that are still left, the ones that didn't just disintegrate and sniffles a little. "Wha' happened… I-I di'nt… did I do that, Cin? I di'nt mean to, I just wanted them to go away an'—an'—" He finally sees Loqi's arm and starts whimpering again, "M'sorry—"

"Hey, hey, hey… it's okay." Loqi finally rejoins them, trying to get Prompto to look at him, trying to show he's alright. "See? It doesn't even hurt that bad, just like… scraping your elbow on the rocks. Just looks like it hurts, okay?"

Cindy can tell he's downplaying it; but, doesn't try to argue. She just lets out a slow breath, looking between them a few times. "We can't just _leave_ … we need to go back."

Prompto looks up again, tiny fingers digging into her waist and bright blue eyes still miserable. "Are mom and dad gonna be mad…?"

"Probably a mite or so… but, you listen to me, Prom." With an effort, Cindy manages to pry him loose and takes his face, gently, in her hands so he can't look away. "Di'nt do nothin' wrong, y'understand me? You just saved all three of us, Prom. No matter what ma or pa or anyone else says, you saved us. Don't know how y'did what y'did, but we'd be in a lot worse shape if ya hadn't, a'right?"

Prompto sniffles again and nods as best he can. Cindy gives him a quick kiss on the forehead, at the same moment Loqi ruffles his hair. Before any of them even make a move back towards their commune, they freeze again. Perimeter guards. Very angry looking guards.

Sure, the communal guards always look _kind of_ angry; but, given the way they're looking at the remains of the sharks still in the immediate area… they definitely know what happened. Cindy pushes Prompto a bit further behind her, taking Loqi's uninjured arm in her freehand so he doesn't try to antagonise the small group. "I apologise for the alarm… as you can see, things have been handled and we're fine… my li'l brother's injured, so if y'all don't mind, we'd like t'get home quick as possible."

Suspicious eyes fall on Loqi, who holds his right arm up to prove her point, for a very brief moment, before he's cradling it once more. Prompto peeks out between them, but doesn't try to say anything; he just curls his arms in a tight hold back around Cindy's waist.

One of the older guards—a graying, scarred Leviaen with the tail and species marks of an orca—swims forward a bit, eyeing the three of them critically before his gaze finally falls on Prompto. "And what, dear girl, _did_ happen, exactly? I see three sharks and I suspect more in the distance. I find it rather difficult to believe that a group of hatchlings fended off a school of sharks."

"My li'l brother here needs to see a witch, sir." Cindy doesn't flinch under the look, just grips both her brothers a little bit tighter to her body. "Our parents can tell all y'all what happened, soon as he's treated. Community may be family, but our parents got a right to know and decide themselves, first, what needs t'be said."

It takes a conscious effort to keep her voice steady. A bit more difficult than she'd like, honestly; but, she manages and, after a moment longer, the guard moves aside, making an indicating, leading gesture with the makeshift spear. "As is their right. Get on, you three. Your parents are likely worried sick, as is. Best not keep them waiting much longer."

Cindy gives Loqi a gentle push to encourage him to go first. Once he does begin swimming, she works Prompto loose, turning so she can hold him close to carry him. Tiny arms go around her neck, stubbornly, as his tail wraps around her midsection to cling. She holds him as tight as she can and follows her other brother; it's going to be a mess… but she's going to find a way to make it work.

Sure enough, the second they get home—a rather well-formed natural cavern with small land pockets for them to practice shifting when they're old enough—Prompto's immediately hiding behind the elder siblings, once more. There isn't any yelling—not the way they've seen other parents raise their voices at children usually much younger than any of them—but… this is almost worse. Yelling they could take in stride; but, as it is, watching their father pace an angry path in front of them, to and fro with violent lashes from his tail… this is substantially worse. Waiting and wondering just how bad this is going to end.

Loqi's arm is wrapped in a kelp binding to keep a salve pressed to the mark on his arm—a burn, the witch had called it—and Cindy has to slap his hand a few times to keep him from picking at it. Prompto watches from around her hip, biting his nails down to the skins and trying not to look as scared as he feels. It doesn't work, but she at least knows he's trying… though, honestly, it just makes her feel a bit worse about the situation.

Finally, their father stops pacing, turning a harsh glower on Cindy, first.

" _What_ were you three doing outside of the commune? You've been warned well and enough times that these waters are _not_ safe and not meant to be _played_ in. Not without supervision."

"All due respect, _sir_ , we were still within communal perimeters." Cindy shoots Loqi a glare for answering; but, she can't stop him. He's already started and interrupting would be much worse than letting him finish. Loqi meets their father's eye, steadily. "The perimeter, in that direction, ends where the abyssal trench starts. We were still within the perimeter. The real question is what the _guards_ are doing so close to the living areas, instead of out on the border where they _should_ be."

As expected, the snark is met with a sharp slap. Loqi flinches, but doesn't retract his words or try to correct himself. Just straightens his posture once more, eyes now fixed on a spot just past their father's shoulder. Cindy lets out a small breath.

"Shouldn't be answerin' outta turn, Lo." The chastise is mostly for show; mostly to try getting a reprimand in before anything worse comes about. It does, at the very least, give her a small foundation of confidence to finally answer the question directed at her. "We were racing and didn't realise how far out we were until it was too late. Chasin' a stream of light, got caught up, ended up further out than intended… it won't happen again, sir."

That feels weird coming from her. Normally, Loqi's the only one with any inclination to such a manner of address. Sarcasm usually drips from his voice when he speaks to their father; a mock of respect for authority. He's been more rebellious lately, though Cindy can't quite pinpoint what triggered it. She'd wager it has to do with Prompto, she just isn't certain _what_.

Regardless… normally, she's comfortable calling their father 'pa' or 'dad'; never 'sir'. Not from her. Using it now seems to be the ideal route, but that doesn't make it any less awkward. Apparently, she chose correctly; because it doesn't get a reaction from their father. He just resumes pacing.

"Perhaps you would like to elaborate what the guard is telling me. I don't care which of you."

Cindy and Loqi exchange confused looks. It has to be pretty obvious what happened… was he just waiting for them to admit it? Loqi has to realise that lying isn't going to get them anywhere, because he just turns his attention back to the far wall with his lips set in a thin line. Cindy puts a gentle hand on Prompto's head when he gives a small whimper and tries to keep her expression as carefully neutral as possible. "Not sure what we can say they ain't already tried to, sir… we got caught in a school'a sharks and… ain't positive what Prom did, but he—"

"He used _magic_."

"...Well, yes'ir. But it ain't gotta be a bad thing, I mean, he—"

"—is cursed, Cindy." Their father finally stops pacing, turning on them at the same moment his tail gives a violent lash, cutting through the water and making the wall ornaments behind him shake with the force. "That you two even _thought_ to bring him back— _have_ you lost your collective senses?"

"What'd you expect us to do, just leave him there—" Cindy slaps a hand over Loqi's mouth, using the other to push Prompto further behind her.

"Pa, please, this ain't gotta be a bad thing—"

" _Enough_."

Cindy flinches and quickly snaps her mouth shut, pushing Loqi behind her in the process. Not for his own protection—well. A bit for his own protection; but mostly to put more of a wall between their father and Prompto. Thankfully, he seems to pick up on the gesture and pulls the youngest sibling into a protective hold. Prompto immediately full body latches to him—arms and tail wrapped as firmly around Loqi as they can, the same way he'd been clinging to Cindy before—and buries his face to try blocking out everything around him. The stifled whimpers are slowly becoming muffled sobs and Cindy just positions herself stubbornly between her brothers and their father.

The father lets out a slow breath, looking between the three. Anger is slowly letting way to… something that is probably supposed to be regret. To her, it just looks like shame, and he shakes his head. "The elders will not stand to have a magic user within the community. That is a fear and a curse that runs far deeper than anyone will dispute or defend. By this time tomorrow, the commune will migrate… you've until then to say your goodbyes."

Cindy feels the tension leaving her body in disbelief and feels Loqi reacting similarly; but, just as quickly her brother bristles, spines standing out in agitation once more as he pries Prompto loose to pass him towards Cindy. For once, the youngest lets go without protest, likely because the ridge of Loqi's spines pries him loose, and immediately turns the death grip on his sister instead. Cindy holds him tight, hesitating to rein Loqi in but also unsure _how_ she would even do so.

"That's _it_? Just… you're just going to _leave him_ and run away?" Loqi's spines start glowing an angry red. Dark and volatile, pulsing and extending along the ridges down his spine. "He _isn't_ dangerous! He _saved_ us and you're just going to leave him—"

"I'm fairly confident the two of you would not have been out there, alone." Their father meets the angry glare, steadily. "You decided to play along with whatever game you three came up with—a game that would have been wholly irrelevant between the two of you. No?"

Immediately the glow leaves and Loqi visibly deflates with the disbelief. Cindy holds Prompto tighter with one arm and uses her free hand to pull Loqi to her body as well. Her arm stays firm around his shoulders, tail wrapped gently over his in a gesture of a reassurance, an attempt to show that she agrees with him on the matter.

"Prob'ly not. But we weren't. Prom's here an' y'all can't just expect us to leave him here. _None'a y'all_ should even be willin' to do so." She goes quiet for a spell, looking between her brothers for the stretch of silence.

Loqi's hands are balled in tight fists, clenching and releasing to try controlling the rush of anger and tension in his body. Deep, steady breaths to pull himself under control. Prompto's gone back to the quiet, hiccoughed sobs and whimpers. He probably doesn't understand in full what's happening, but enough to know that he's supposed to be in trouble. For something that was out of his control and something _amazing_ that shouldn't be punished. Cindy tries to shush him and looks around the cavern before finally meeting their father's eye.

"No one knows yet. So far as anyone knows… we were playin'. M'guessin' the guard sent everyone inside the second I screamed." An alarm of sorts to warn them of danger. That the guards showed up at all is telling enough that the alarm reached far enough. The reaction time lines up pretty well with getting everyone hidden away to safety. So the only people that have seen them… are the guards. The elders that had been in attendance with the witch that treated Loqi's arm. And their father. Their mother was probably still with the gatherers, safely hidden in the gardening caverns, worrying and none the wiser that the three of them even came home.

The silence is enough to confirm that theory—along with the fact _they_ hadn't seen anyone upon arrival—and she lets out a slow breath, exchanging a quick look with Loqi. He looks confused; but, after a few seconds longer—when she turns the glance to Prompto—he catches on and his lips set in a thin frown before he offers a single nod to agree. It isn't ideal… but it's better than leaving him alone.

"No one knows we came back. An' no one needs to know." Cindy finally raises her head, biting her lower lip for a short moment before steeling herself to continue. "S'what happens anyways, ain't it? Kids just disappear for no reason whatsoev'r and the only thing anyone else really knows is they prob'ly drowned. Elders know and the family knows… that's how it works ain't it. You decide what to tell the elders, elders make a huge deal out of a public shamin', and everyone just collectively _leaves_?"

"That is generally how such things come to pass, yes." The shame and anger have finally ebbed entirely to a wariness that she probably shouldn't take pride in. But, she does, especially when their father continues with a simple statement. "I'm uncertain what you think to imply, Cindy."

"Yer willin' to cast out one of us… best be ready to cast out _all_ of us." She holds Prompto a little tighter when he gives a tiny noise of protest in her shoulder and shushes him quickly. "It's okay, Prom… we ain't gonna let nothin' happen t'you. So far as anyone else will know… we were playin'… and the guards di'nt get there in time. Cuz that's _exac'ly_ what would'a happened if Prom hadn't done what he did."

When she meets their father's eye this time, he looks surprised; but, she just narrows her eyes a bit further. "Said me an' Lo wouldn't'a been out there without Prom, but yer not just gonna erase his existence to justify yer ignorance. Prom was there. _All of us_ were an' Lo's right. We were within communal boundaries. Guards weren't anywhere near the trenches. Any other kids could'a just as easily been playin' out there. We got lucky cuz of Prom… an' y'all are just gonna _punish him_."

Loqi gives an agreeing nod before their father can even question if they're standing together on the matter. Before he can put any doubt in Prompto's—in any of their minds, honestly—that this isn't a solid decision between them. "Prom gets left behind, we're stayin', too. Or…" he glances at Cindy for a short moment. She's not sure where he's going; but, she still gives him a little nod to show there's a good chance she'll agree to whatever plan he's come up with. "Mom doesn't need to know you're a coward anymore than she needs to know that both of us are going to fight this claw and fang. Everyone thinks we were out playing… that's what they can keep thinking." When Cindy doesn't immediately argue, he turns the glare back on their father. "No different than any other secret anyone's taking to their grave. Just means you're lyin' to mom, along with everyone else."

"You two think you'll survive out here, alone?" Their father scoffs, either trying to call their bluff or scare them into doubting the decision. "You've hardly grown into your natural defenses, let alone any offensive capabilities—"

"Yeah, well, we're more acquainted with 'em than Prom is." Loqi crosses his arms. "So, it's not okay for _us_ to be left and alone, but totally okay for him to. I'm staying with him."

"And I'm staying with them." Cindy confirms.

Those words, for better or worse, land them just outside of the commune's boundaries barely an hour later. Their father dragged them to the elders, trying to get them to change their mind—a futile argument and one that hadn't lasted very long when Cindy and Loqi both tried to argue that Prompto wasn't a danger to anyone. The elders left a rather foreboding message as they were sent away, when neither side would be swayed. Even when they could basically prove that Prompto _didn't_ just resort to the magic under stress—he was probably _more_ stressed right now than he'd been with the sharks and hadn't been able to conjure any of what he'd done prior. Words weren't getting either side anywhere and, eventually, the elders had realised that.

Cindy adjusts the satchel that's crossing her body and glances back at her brothers. Loqi has a satchel as well, with Prompto clinging rather tight to his hand, still hiccoughing a small sob every few seconds. He's mostly stopped crying; but, his eyes look irritated, no matter how many times he reaches to wipe at them, and his fins all droop a bit dejectedly. Cindy's not terribly surprised. She suspects they were only given the few supplies they have because her and Loqi are voluntarily leaving. If it had just been Prompto… they probably would have just left him here. With those words echoing in his head.

" _The Tidemother's curse brings nothing but misfortune to those around around its host. The child will bring nothing but misery if he stays—should the two of you choose to stay with him, it will inevitably follow you, as well. Trouble **will** find you._ "

Misery and misfortune and trouble. Because of some adaptability that wasn't widespread enough for them to realise it wasn't something to be afraid of. Some small part of her wonders if, perhaps, people would give the 'curse' a chance… maybe it _would_ be a more dominant trait. It happened with witches, after all—the healing traits have become more common in the past few years. Even compared to when Cindy was just learning to swim, there's already dozens more Leviaens being taught to harness their healing ability. What made offense-based magic so different?

She pulls a slow breath and turns to look at her brothers with a little smile, trying to convince them everything's going to be okay. "They'll be out of the communal area by tomorrow, but I doubt any of us wanna go back an' try to stay there, huh?"

Loqi nods to show he agrees; Prompto just looks down, muffling a small noise of protest when he reaches up to try wiping his face again. Cindy lowers herself enough that she can tap his chin up, trying to encourage eye contact.

"It'll be okay, Prom… me an' Lo ain't gonna let nothin' happen t'you. Understand?"

He still doesn't meet her eye and, after a few failed attempts that end in little more than a pitiful hiccup, tries to answer. "Y-you an' Lo should-should'a stayed an'—"

He cuts off with a high pitched whine and tries to pull his hand loose. Loqi seems to realise he was gripping too tight and quickly loosens his hold. Not enough for Prompto to get away, but enough that he's not hurting him and lets out a slow breath.

"Prom, you _honestly_ think me or Cin would've been okay? Knowing they just left you out here alone? Hell no."

"Loqi." Cindy's tone comes out in a warning—mostly for his language—before she realises it's useless and they don't even need to be worried about things like that for right now. She just shakes her head a little and turns her attention back to Prompto. "He ain't wrong, Prom. Wouldn't've been the same without you around, Sparkles."

The nickname—old and kind of silly, from when Prompto was a few years younger and _all_ of his scales used to glow bright yellow and blue when he was happy; basically _always_ —is enough to get a small, unsteady smile. Just for a moment before he looks miserable again.

"But I don't wanna bring trouble o-or… or…mis… uhm…" He looks up at Loqi for help; but, Loqi just raises a brow at him, clearly not willing to comply and feed into the nonsense. Cindy doesn't blame him; but, she still offers a small smile instead of ignoring the question.

"Prom, y'don't even know what that means."

"Know it means somethin' bad," He mumbles, still tripping over the word under his breath a few more times before finally gives up.

"Misfortune," Cindy supplies in a gentle tone, swatting at Loqi to keep him quiet so she can explain, "is just a big word for bad luck. An' you're anything _but_ bad luck, darlin'. You _saved_ us."

"You an' Lo would've been able to out swim the sharks, though… that sounds like bad luck." He looks back down. "Dad was right, wasn't he? If I hadn't been there—"

"Cin and I don't _want_ you not around, Prom. That's the whole point." Loqi moves around in front of him, right next to Cindy, and makes him look up by cupping his face, gently, in both hands. "Who cares about what ifs? Father's just trying to make himself feel better about the fact he just did something _horrible_ to someone he's supposed to protect. To _basically everyone_ he's supposed to protect. Sayin' all that dumb stuff—if you hadn't been around? If you hadn't been there?—all of that is so _he_ feels better about it. Because you _are_ here, Prom. You are; and, Cin and I wouldn't want it any other way. He shouldn't, either. But, he chose his side… and we chose ours, okay? We're sticking together and that's that."

Cindy nods a little, reaching over to brush some of Prompto's hair back and give him a gentle, reassuring scritch behind the ear. A calming gesture, just as much as reassurance. "We'll figure it out, Prom. I told you before—you di'nt do _nothing_ wrong. You saved me an' Lo an' that's all there is to it. So… I need you to do us a real big favour, okay?"

Prompto finally tries to meet her eye, tilting his head as best he can with Loqi still holding his face. Cindy smiles and gestures back over her shoulder. "We've got a pretty long trip ahead of us… I know there's some empty caverns up along the walls of the canyon above the trenches… think you can make that swim? After that, there's a nice lil' seabed. Ain't the same as the valley, but it's got a grotto and grotto should mean maze and place to set up a secure home. Lo, you're prob'ly gonna have to take point. You're quicker with your claws than me."

Loqi nods and slips his satchel off, handing it over to Cindy for her to carry. Cindy glances back at Prompto, carefully adjusting both straps now. "M'not gonna be able to carry you with both of these… so I need you to swim next to me, alright?"

Prompto looks up, then at Loqi for a short moment, and nods when his attention drifts back to Cindy and he pulls a deep breath. "I can do it."

Cindy smiles at him again and exchanges a quick, short look with Loqi, offering only a short nod to say they can leave.

They can do this. She's not really sure _how_ yet… but they'll figure it out. She knows bits and pieces of what she's picked up from gatherers and healers. Loqi's spent a substantial amount of time around the hunters and guards. They're going to find a way to make this work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Art starts going up with Chapter 2!
> 
>  **12.02 update!** By now, I'm certain everyone's seen the merAU art floating around! While this is indeed a magical collab with Izu and Lacie, if anyone is interested in drawing art, please feel free to! 
> 
> I have gotten an art from a lovely person so far and I've had others ask if it was alright to draw from the fic! All of us are very okay with it ♥ When you do, just please credit all of us! Izu came up with Prompto's design and put a lot of effort into his design! And, while I did the initial designs for Cindy and Loqi, Izu's responsible for the coloured reference we have! Lacie came up with designs for characters that will appear later but I can't say anything for spoiler reasons ♥
> 
> ♥ All we ask, is if you draw them, please credit appropriately ♥


	2. Survival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The family that stays together, survives. Even if that family is three kids still learning just what survival _is_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the last chapter I mentioned there would be arts to see!! So, here are some arts that are relevant to Chapter 1 ♥
> 
> From an Izu ♥: [Izu](https://izuumii.tumblr.com/post/170572085666/chapter-1-is-up-check-it-out-its-the-thing-a) blessing us with some siblings ♥  
> Lacie's art will go up in a little bit because twitter is being a dumb ~~and kiri is bad at twitter~~ , but if this decides to work she drew a [SUPER CUTE PROM](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DVo5pFRW4AYej3P.jpg:large), using Izu's design and LOOK AT THIS BABY ♥
> 
> And then I got surprise Sibling Arts from [llamace](https://llamace-doodles.tumblr.com/post/170641028166/i-love-mermaids-and-nicoleiacross-has-started) and i'm still crying THANK YOU SO MUCH.
> 
> ♥♠♥♠  
> And on a chapter relevant note, we continue building both world and _plot_ and I really hope y'all enjoy \o/!

Two years pass in relative peace.

It's… different, than living in the commune; but, they make do with what they can. Loqi has better control over his claws and, being the fastest of the three, can generally track and hunt enough to sustain them, so far as fish goes. Cindy tends to the small garden with Prompto's help and starts perfecting her ability to shift forms to salvage things along the shore, as well. Always at night and early hours of dawn, always careful to avoid humans and the creatures that spawn from the ground, and never far from the beaches. Loqi starts following her a bit later in the year, as he's able, to get used to the biped form and staying above water for more than a few minutes at a time.

Prompto watches from a safe distance, clinging to one of the flatter rocks along the jagged coast line, unable to follow. Honestly, given the reaction to his magic… he isn't entirely certain he _wants_ anymore abilities. Shifting to a humanoid form is common in all Leviaens; something that comes naturally to anyone and everyone around the time they turn fourteen. Prompto, twelve now, is still too young; but, he's tried asking about it, hoping for some kind of explanation. Anything to help him understand what it's going to be like when he eventually grows into the ability.

Cindy's been able to shift for three years now, since before they were cast out—well. Prompto was cast out. Cindy and Loqi ran away. For him. The thought still makes him sad—that they'd all essentially been abandoned just because Prompto could do something not many others could. It's just something that follows him around now. He doesn't even _use_ his magic; he just… knows it's there.

Today isn't any different. He's sitting on a rock, quite a bit out from the shore, watching his siblings gather plants from the beach. Sometimes he can crawl onto the land with them; but, as the season has begun to turn, the ground is getting too cold for him to try. The membrane around his body is already drying out, even with his tail in the water and he shivers, trying to curl into a ball and still watch his siblings. He doesn't like when it gets cold. It takes longer to gather things, it gets harder to even _find_ whatever it is they gather, and it's almost impossible to break surface. It's not even necessarily _cold_ that's bad for them; not specifically them, just their bodies.

The way Loqi explains it—as best he can for Prompto to understand—Leviaens maintain a slick membrane around their bodies that keeps them hydrated when they break the surface. Prompto's felt a similar membrane around the small amphibians that are just past the beach. Loqi found one—going a bit too far inland, once—and brought it back to show Prompto before Cindy made him take the thing back. They're still not sure what it was; but, their sister did have a point. They couldn't just take something out of its natural habitat because they thought it looked interesting. For all they knew it wouldn't survive in the ocean.

Prompto decided right then that, as soon as he could shift forms, he was going to go find the little creature again and see where it lived. The at least know it can survive in _some_ kind of water… Prompto's heard his siblings talk about bodies of water that were different from the ocean. Smaller. Enclosed. Less creatures, but more fish. Sometimes, anyways. It's just another thing to investigate when he gets older—when all of them can actually travel together so his brother and sister aren't worried about leaving him alone for too long.

His attention perks up a little when he spots Loqi moving back towards the water, making beckoning gestures for Cindy to hurry up, and Prompto starts wiggling a bit, ready to dive into the water as soon as they're close enough. He could swim to meet them; but, he'd rather watch them change.

It's still weird to him—probably something that'll make more sense when _he_ can change on his own—but also fascinating to watch. Cindy catches up just before the reach the shore line and hands the small amount of gathered plants to Loqi, lets him stash them in the satchel he keeps, before they both walk into the receding tide. The second they do, Prompto can already see their scales beginning to form from their skin The ones along their shoulders fade into view, first, glowing gently. The glow begins moving along their backs and down their spines.

Loqi's is always a bit more florescent—the ridge of fin that travels down his back looks like it should be uncomfortable as it forms up from his spine and glows even brighter than his scales; but, it doesn't seem to bother him. By the time they're knee-deep in water, their steps are getting closer together, legs melding back into their tails, and they dive forward. Prompto dives at the same time, quickly swimming to meet them halfway.

The shift finishes underwater; once fully submerged, the natural bioluminescence gets much brighter until their tails are completely formed once more and Cindy lets out a deep breath as their bodies finish the shift, her fins wiggling a little to stretch out. Loqi stretches his arms over his head, looking tired, when he flashes Prompto a short smile as he finally joins them.

"Y'know, you don't _have_ to stay on the rock every time we beach, Prom."

Prompto shakes his head, vehemently, "I like watchin' you shift, though… s'easier to see from over there."

He really wants to ask what it feels like, again; but, he's probably asked a dozen times, by now. It looks like it should hurt—especially Loqi's, since he has a more rigid structure to his fins. Cindy has more flourish, but Loqi actually has spines along his fin and down the length of his back. Prompto… has a little bit of a ridge starting, but nothing like his brother did when he was younger. He might have been hoping to have the same flourish Cindy does; but, he likes what he has, too. Regardless, changing _does_ look painful. Especially when they change into the biped form. It's not much different than when they change back, just… different.

The scales on their shoulders and backs and faces meld into their skin, fading into light marks that kind of look like the speckle of freckles on Prompto's cheeks and shoulders where the scales aren't covering. That part looks fine… it's watching their tails that's horrifying, honestly. The way some of the scales meld into flesh while others merely fall away; the way that their tail slowly splits down the center to let way to fleshy limbs; the way the flourish fades into sea foam and washes away with the tide. It looked painful, it _looked_ terrifying… but, Cindy and Loqi never make any indication that it's actually hurting them.

No matter how many times Prompto asks, they can't really explain it to him. All they can do is assure him it really doesn't hurt either of them and it really doesn't take practice to learn. It's just something they figure out naturally as the changes start—a change signified by softening scales and small tears in their flourish and fins—and, honestly, the hardest part is learning to move on solid ground. The motions look awkward and unsteady, no matter how many times they change; but, they always find their balance within a few steps. The worst part, according to both of them, is that they lose their membrane when they shift. Their skin doesn't have the extra layer of protection and they can't use their claws in the biped form.

Loqi, in particular, really doesn't like that part of the adaptability; and, Cindy's confirmed that her voice is much weaker. She can still sing and project, just fine; but, she loses the extra impact from sonar, she loses the soft allure that sirens are known for. Whatever changes their bodies make when they shift, it's to help them blend in with humans and that apparently means softer voices, less natural defenses, and one very unfortunate weakness.

In the human form, their scales either fade into their skin or shed; their gills, quite unfortunately, do not. Even in their Leviaen forms, the area around their gills is tender and sensitive to touch; in their human forms, it seems to be even worse. Not that they've actively tested the theory but the fact they need to keep the areas covered, just from the wind blowing, says a lot about it. It kind of makes Prompto wonder if humans wear the extra layers to protect similar weaknesses. Not that he understands what the layers are, but Cindy's tried to explain the concept of clothes to him. That, when Prompto was able to change and they could travel on land, they would all have to wear clothes to blend in.

It's still a few years off—two, at the very least; three, if he's lucky, though—so he still has time to learn; for right now, most all of their collective focus is solely on _surviving_. It hasn't been easy. They can't travel as easily as the commune does—three kids that can barely defend themselves, having to learn the hierarchy of prey and predator on their own. Cindy's voice is stronger than it used to be—not just disorienting anymore, but enough to shatter some of the creatures' senses, discombobulate them long enough for Loqi—or her—to tear them apart. Sharks are becoming less of a problem, too, likely because they don't give off the same sense of prey they did a few years earlier. They _can_ survive and they aren't _just_ targets anymore.

Even without larger creatures trying to eat them, humans are an issue. Ship wreckage is common along the shore and right before the trenches start—probably well into the trenches, honestly—and many humans have taken to try reclaiming their lost wreckage. In the past week alone, Loqi's nearly gotten caught in a net snare four times; Prompto nearly thrice that; and, Cindy, thankfully, considerably less. She can get them out without getting wrapped up herself. They're all careful to avoid the stronger nets—thick and heavy and impossible to tear. They've tried before when the nets hauled a rather large school of fish away. The most it got them—with Loqi and Cindy both pulling and tearing at a singular spot—was bruises and cuts on their hands and torn nails as their claws retracted. Whatever those nets are, they aren't meant to be escaped from, and _that_ more than anything else drives them a bit further from the comfort of the shallows they initially stayed in.

Almost more threatening than humans were the creatures further inland. The reason Loqi and Cindy stay so close to the beach, even though there are blinding lights from the cliff above them and the reason Cindy gets so mad when Loqi _does_ wander just that little bit further inland. Just outside the ring the lights cast are… _something_. 

Prompto doesn't know what they are and his siblings don't seem to have answers, either, which is scary enough, as is. Sometimes they're small, scrawny looking creatures that shriek and point and gnash their teeth from the shadows. Some throw purple wisps of magic. Some are a bit bulkier; human-sized but made of pure muscle. Others look like things straight out of nightmares. A woman's upper body mounted on a large form with eight legs; the hulking figures that looked like moving rocks, some of them on fire, with swords easily twice an average human's size. Echoing, guttural roars that bounce off the cliffs keep them in the safety of the lights on the beach, scraping together what they could insofar as food went.

Food was another outstanding issue. One they can never seem to really combat. Fishing works well enough; but, as the season turns and the cold begins to set on the land, schools of fish become scarce. Salvage from the beach becomes scarce. The fruits and plants that Cindy and Loqi find during warmer seasons become considerably harder to find. The first year had been the worst; unable to really hunt, unable to find enough energy to do more than scavenge for whatever scraps were left by larger predator kills. It wasn't ideal, but it was all they had at the time. It was enough to teach them to prepare for this year. There's a small stock of fish, carefully preserved, as best it can be, in kelp wraps and ground minerals that Cindy found on the beaches and some of the underwater caverns in the maze beneath their grotto. Tricks she picked up from the older Leviaens before they were abandoned. Kelp, of course, for emergency rations. The small garden bearing fruit that isn't quite as sweet as what's on the land, but enough to sustain them as the need arises.

They can make it work and next year they'll be even better prepared. They just need to last a while longer. Until Prompto can change, too, until they can investigate human communes—cities, Cindy calls them. Prompto can't remember much of anything he was supposed to have been learning in the commune. Most everything he does remember, now, is being cast out. Being told he was cursed, that he didn't belong, that he'd just bring trouble and misfortune to the commune if he stayed. Trouble and misfortune that would inevitably find his brother and sister, now, no matter how many times they try to tell him that it isn't true.

A gentle hand against his head snaps him out of his thoughts and he blinks a few times. Cindy just smiles and pushes his hair back, gently. "Got a thousand wave stare, darlin'. What's wrong?"

"Talk and swim," Loqi mumbles, already arching so he can swim over Prompto to take point, "It's late and humans are going to be out and about soon… let's get out of here before they show up."

His sister hums an agreeing note and turns a small twirl around him to follow, making a beckoning gesture to get Prompto to follow, as well. He does a quick flip to change his direction and swims a bit harder to catch up, soon falling in pace with his sister. He looks up at her, one hand latched to hers to keep from getting separated, and tilts his head a little. "Why are we running from humans? If we're just going to try blending in later… why are we running now?"

Cindy looks down at him, brows furrowed a bit in a concerned manner, "Y'know the answer to that, already, Prom. Humans ain't kind to Leviaens. We blend in, that's one thing; but they find us like this—"

"We end up sport and game and strewn up in a tank somewhere." Loqi finishes in a mumble. Cindy immediately throws him a scowl.

"Lo! Don't go scarin' him!"

Prompto just blinks and looks between them. "What's a tank?"

Cindy keeps a stern look on Loqi for a moment longer, likely to make sure he isn't going to try answering, before she releases a slow breath and turns a gentle look back down to Prompto. "It's… a cave of sorts. One y'can't get out of, though. Know them nets me an' Lo can't break? It's… somethin' like that. It's somethin' to trap things in. Obviously, neither've us never seen one… but some'a the older Leviaens have."

"Remember the guard captain?" Loqi turns onto his back so he's swimming backwards. He doesn't look pleased to be having the conversation; but… it's more discomfort than anger, now. "All those scars he had on his back and tail? If the stories are anything to go by… he escape human confinement. _If_ they're true."

"Ain't got no reason t'lie, Lo." Cindy points out; but, even she looks doubtful. "Stories gotta come from somewhere… _someone_ escaped… and, now, it's just… passed down. Y'already know all that, though, Prom. Why're y'askin' now?"

Prompto shrugs a little and glances down at the seabed below them. "Why we gotta blend in, then? If they're dangerous shouldn't we… stay here?"

He doesn’t need to look up to know his siblings are exchanging looks. A few seconds later, he feels Loqi fall into line next to them, gently taking his free hand in one of his own and using his other to tap Prompto's chin and get him to look up. Once he has the desired attention, they both stop swimming, making Prompto stop in the process.

Loqi gives him a long, quiet, searching look before he pulls a slow breath. "Prom. What's this about?"

He shrugs a little in response. It's dumb and he really doesn't want to talk about it. He still has two years. Unfortunately, Loqi's… really good at figuring these things out. He gives Cindy a quick look before he meets Prompto's eye again, heading shrugging to one side in a curious gesture.

"You've been a lot more interested in shifting, lately, too… is it about that?" He still doesn't offer a verbal answer; but, apparently looking down is enough of an answer, because Loqi just releases a short sigh. "Prompto. Cin and I can't help if you don't talk to us, baby brother."

"... I don't wanna shift." He squirms a little, his tail starting to curl inward in an attempt to hide behind it; it doesn't do him much good, but now that he's started he can't really find it in him to stop, either. "I don't want to, it looks like it hurts and if humans are bad, we shouldn't be anywhere near them, and…"

And it isn't fair. How was shifting _so_ different than what he could do? Than what Cindy could do with her voice? Than what Loqi could do in a fight? Loqi's voice isn't as strong as Cindy's, but he can still utilise the vibrations and pitch when he needed to; so could Prompto. Likewise, Cindy isn't as fast as him, but her claws are just as effective as Loqi's and she's just as strong as he is. Prompto's still coming into his claws and strength, but it's still a basic, adaptation that all Leviaens inherit. Some were just… stronger than others. And some, like Prompto, had a different kind of strength. So what made _magic_ so different?

He doesn't realise Cindy's moved until she's prying her hand loose and swims around so she's just a bit below him so she can make eye contact. "Prom. Shiftin's just as natural as your magic, I promise you. It don't hurt none and you'll get the hang of it in no time. I know it ain't fair, because the two ain't all that different… everyone was just real scared. And… fear like that ain't easy to remedy."

"Yeah, well… throwin' kids out sure as Hell isn't going to help any." Loqi grumbles before lowering himself as well and pulling Prompto into a hug. "We aren't going to let anything happen to you, okay? Everything's going to be fine. But Cin's right. Eventually we _need_ to try and see what humans have. There's more food in cities and things that can help make winter easier. Okay? We're not stayin' topside permanently. Just long enough to get some stuff and then we're back in the water. Promise."

Prompto nods a little and hugs back as tight as he can, his tail winding around his brother's for a short spell before he's trying to wiggle out of the hold. "…Promise it don't hurt none?"

"A little bit of a tingling feeling, like when you swim through kelp, but that's about it." Loqi promises with a small, affirming nod. Still, his expression levels into a frown and he glances up at Cindy before looking back at Prompto. "Why? Does it hurt when you use magic—er. Did… it hurt?"

Prompto tries to think back to what happened; but, eventually he just shakes his head. "I don't… think it did… it felt funny. Not like when we glow, but kinda like that. It felt warm like that but also… sharp? Like it was poking me—o-or something, I don't know…"

How does he explain something like that? The sudden cold in his core, that slowly warmed and spread up along his back and arms. The sparks of prickling sensations at the tips of his fingers and down the ridge of his tail, to the very tips of fin and flourish. The sudden expulsion when the feeling hit an apex. More than that, though…

He glances at Loqi's arm with a small frown. The mark's long healed over—a burn, the witch had called it, whatever that meant—but there's still a vague discolouration that never fully healed. Some of the scales on his arm have blackened tips and the flesh bits of his arm are a shade off from the rest of him, skin pulled a bit tighter where the burn was. Not really noticeable if it wasn't being looked for; but… Prompto knows it's there and it's hard for him to overlook it.

Loqi—fortunately or no—seems to catch on and puts the opposite hand over the burn so Prompto can't see it. "It didn't hurt _me_ , Prom. Yeah, it left a mark, but it didn't hurt. Things would've been _worse_ if you hadn't done that… does it hurt _you_?"

"It just… feels weird. But, I don't think it hurts." He shakes his head a little bit with the answer. Barely a second later he feels Cindy's hand in his hair and looks up, finally, meeting his sister's eye a bit miserably. She just offers a gentle smile.

"All three of us are alive, okay, Prom? Don't matter what no one else said or says, y'hear? We're alive and we're all we need, y'understand? Managed this long, ain't we?" Prompto nods a bit and she gives him a quick kiss. "And we're gonna keep managin'. Now, let's get home so we can get some rest. Gonna have a long day t'morrow."

Loqi gives an agreeing nod, turning a small flip so he's facing forward and a few strokes ahead of them again. A few minutes of silence and he offers a slightly off-handed remark to trying filling it. "Y'know… it wouldn't be a terrible idea for you to practice the magic. There's plenty of open space and it's not like there's any other communes in this area right now."

Prompto grumbles a little, but doesn't immediately dismiss the suggestion the way he usually does. It probably _wouldn't_ hurt to learn how the magic actually works. It's been two years and he hasn't be able to use it again. He also hasn't been in a situation nearly as terrifying as the sharks, but that was rather besides the point. He should learn. At least learn if he can trigger it on his own… that could be helpful.

Before he can agree, Cindy stops swimming which, in turn, forces him to stop swimming and he finally looks up, glancing between his siblings curiously. Loqi's stopped, just ahead of them, his ears twitching a little, like he's trying to source a sound. Prompto frowns and tries to listen; he doesn't hear anything and, judging by Cindy's expression, she doesn't either.

Loqi makes a short motion at them before either can even think to ask. After another beat he finally turns, looking equal parts confused and agitated. "You two hear that, right?"

Prompto just feels even more confused and shakes his head a little, "I don't hear anything—"

Realisation dawns on him about the same moment it does on Cindy. She immediately hands her bag to him and Loqi passes his over, too, already flexing his hands to trigger his claws. Cindy follows suit, swimming a little bit ahead of them and closer to the surface, squinting, like she's trying to see into the darkness above them.

The humans should be out on the water by now. They should hear engines and fish scattering from the sound. They should hear the gulls following the ships. They should hear a _lot_ of things, even if the humans aren't out and about. Cindy slowly sinks to join them; but, in that same moment, everything around them jumps to life.

The same moment she turns to beckon them back towards the caverns they call home, lights brighter than the sun shine down on them, making all of them recoil sharply, and a roar of engines sounds throughout the area around them. Engines that are easily drowned by a startled scream—recognisably Cindy screaming. Prompto forces his eyes open just in time to see Loqi dart forward, easily ripping the net around their sister open and pushing her out of the way of the second net. The second net is easily torn and he darts down to join them, throwing his entire weight into pushing them down further until the lights aren't as blinding. 

Down against the seabed in a small gathering of jagged rocks that they twist around to hide. He's breathing a little heavier, fangs bared and claws ready to attack as he tries to pinpoint where the nets even _came_ from. Cindy pushes Prompto a little lower, close to the rocks they're hiding against, before she drags Loqi into the small area, trying to make all three of them as small as possible, and holds them as tight as she can.

Prompto wiggles a bit uncomfortably between them, trying to look up at Cindy, "H-how'd they—"

"They've probably been watching us for weeks." Loqi bites out a curse under his breath, trying to wriggle free of Cindy's hold. Less to get away from the protection, likely more because of the uncomfortable looking bend his ridge is in within the enclosed hiding area. "Okay… if we stay along the bed, we should be fine, right? Their nets never go that deep…"

"That we know of." Cindy points out, quietly. She at least finally concedes to releasing him when she realises that they're… probably out of danger for the moment. At the very least, they're harder to see. She glances down at Prompto before looking at Loqi. "Lo… you're the fastest… stay close to the rocks, stay _down_ … see if it's actually safe to go home."

He looks confused—and ready to argue—for a short moment before it levels out to understanding and he gives a quick nod. Prompto isn't entirely sure what they just agreed on or even what they're implying. All he _does_ know is that the second Loqi darts too far away from them, something shoots into the water above them, aimed right as his brother. Loqi definitely sees it, given the way he darts out of the way; whatever it is, it follows him. Cindy pries herself free and pushes Prompto a bit further down with a single warning. "Don't move until we say so—"

Cindy turns when she hears Loqi swear and Prompto peeks around her and the rocks as best he can. Loqi's pressed low and tight inside a small fissure to escape what was chasing him, finally giving them a clear view of a large… arm? A gray arm that creaks and has three long digits on the end that are digging into the fissure—either trying to draw Loqi out or drag him out itself. They're far enough down that _nothing_ should be able to get to them. Before Prompto can ask, he sees his sister's face and just presses down further into the rocks he's hiding between and brings his hands up to cover his ears. Cindy looks more than furious.

"Lo, cover yer ears!"

They aren't sure he hears her; but, someone did. The arm stops digging at the fissure and turns towards her and Cindy pulls a deep breath—holding it until the digits get closer to her—and releases the highest pitch scream she can. The vibrations bounce around the rocks and walls and the arm stops moving. She quickly grabs Prompto's arm, pulling him upright probably a bit harder than she means to, and practically dragging him as she makes a straight line for Loqi. They reach the fissure at the same time he manages to wiggle free, cough and trying to shake debris from his hair and fins. He looks unsteady and, given how tight the space he was just in looks, he probably didn't get a chance to cover his ears. Cindy turns his head a few times, checking to make sure his ears aren't bleeding; no blood found, she lets out a relieved sigh and grabs his arm in her free hand, pulling both of them along.

"C'mon, I dunno if that stopped it but we need to get out of here—"

Prompto's having trouble keeping up with her; but, he still tries, kicking his tail as hard and fast as he can to match her pace. Loqi recovers from the sonar shock and easily darts out of her hold, swimming ahead of them to assess any potential danger. He comes to a screeching halt just before the long stretch of open seabed in front of their grotto and barely manages to catch Cindy around the waist, stopping her and Prompto both in the process.

"Lo, what in Leviathan's name are you doin', home is _right there_ —"

Even as Loqi's shaking his head 'no', Cindy's mouth snaps shut and she finally realises why he stopped. Prompto's breathing heavier than both of them and just looks between them, fear and confusion fighting for control. He looks out over the open area and feels his heart sink a little. The bright lights are back, focused on the seabed and the entrance into the grotto. If they could get _into_ the grotto, they'd be safe… swim in deep enough and it became a maze of underwater caverns and dead ends. They would be safe in there. But that meant swimming into the light where they would undoubtedly be spotted. How were the humans even shining lights that bright? They're close to the surface, but not _that_ close. The grotto is an old commune ground—it was chosen specifically because of the natural defenses around and above it. The jagged canyon walls around them lead up to rocks on the surface; the seabed—and thus the grotto—shouldn't be easily reached from the surface. So, how did they navigating the traps above water? How did they get out here?

It's not until he feels Cindy pushing down on his shoulder that he realises they're sinking closer to the seabed, close together and as much in the shadows as they can be. Cindy's breathing a bit heavier than normal, but not as badly as Prompto; Loqi's breathing has evened out, but he still looks agitated by the entire thing and a little unsteady from Cindy's scream. Not dazed anymore, but still a bit disoriented.

"...Cin? What do we do?"

It's rare for Loqi to be this quiet. To sound so uncertain. Prompto presses closer to him, trying to offer some small bit of reassurance, as much as he's seeking it out. Especially when Cindy doesn't have an immediate answer. She shakes her head slowly.

"I don't… I don't know… w-we could try for the trench, but…" All three of them look towards the canyon that dips into the deep trenches. Was it really worth the dangers in there? More hiding places for them, but… also more places for creatures to hide. Cindy shakes her head just as quickly as she offers the idea. "We can't wait 'em out… could keep swimmin'. Try to get back to the old communal grounds… ain't no one there, probably. Or, we find _different_ commune, see if they can help us."

Loqi scowls at the thought. It wouldn't be the first time they've tried to find a new commune to join. But, if news hadn't already reached the other groups about the fact Prompto had magic, they simply didn't want to take in three unknown Leviaens who were simply abandoned. Not when none of them could prove they _hadn't_ attacked anyone in their commune. But… this seems to be a fairly safe bet. Finding a larger group—maybe they'd know what was chasing them.

He still doesn't look too willing to agree. For better or worse, he never has to. The very second he opens his mouth to do so, all three of them go rigid as a foreign noise reaches them. Foreign but something quickly becoming familiar. The creaking noise from the arm that had been chasing Loqi. When the look, it's moving again. How did it catch up that fast? Was it the same arm? Did the humans have more than one of the giant arm?

Irrelevant, in the grand scheme of things, and just more questions that couldn't be answered. All of them stay low to the ground, close but ready to run if they need to. The arm reacted to sound before, so maybe if they stayed quiet—

Prompto presses both hands tighter over his mouth when a second arm comes into view—a third, a fourth, a fifth—how _many_ could they need? He feels Cindy pulling him tight to her side. Her free hand is over her own mouth and Loqi's doing the same. It almost feels like none of them are breathing; too scared that the smallest sound will alert the things to where they are.

In the end it proves to be rather pointless.

Even as Prompto's struggling to swallow the sobs threatening to slip through his fingers, a loud, booming wave emits from three of the arms. Not unlike Cindy's scream, but deeper and harsher and _louder_. Even when they all clamp their hands down over their ears, he can see Cindy trying to tell them to scatter at the same time.

Two of the arms shoot towards them, digits opening like a grabbing hand, and they all take off in different directions. Prompto, being the smallest, manages to squeeze his way back into a scattered array of debris, easily blending in with the surfaces. If the noise was anything like Cindy's scream, it was sonar—he wouldn't be as easy to find in the rocks and, sure enough, the arms quickly abandon pursuit, even after another booming wave, and turn to the other two. Loqi, for better or worse, is fast enough to get around the arms. He manages to tangle two of them rather thoroughly before he's trying to get away from a third. The remaining three soon abandon him altogether and Prompto finally raises, nervously, to try figuring out why. Loqi comes to an abrupt halt when he realises it isn't following him anymore, as well, and immediately tries to find the other two.

With an effort—he's tired and sore and still exhausted from running the first time—Prompto manages to join him, barely able to keep himself floating. He stays just behind Loqi—out of his way in case he decides that fighting is more ideal than running—but close enough for a sense of security. Security that would feel _better_ if they could find Cindy—

The very second the thought occurs to him, they both find her. They both figure out why the arm suddenly left Loqi alone and, with an under-breath swear, Loqi starts chasing after the arms. Cindy's in the middle of the light, weaving around the arms as they make grabs at her. A few times, they do nearly catch her; but, as quickly as the digits open, they close much slower. Slow enough to give her time to escape with what looks like little more than a bit of bruising from one of the digits hitting her sides.

Two of the arms make a barricade, continuously forcing her into the third one's grabbing range. This time, as the hand opens, Loqi catches one of the digits, claws digging into the surface with a shrill noise. They aren't impenetrable. Instead of stilling the digit—though the effort does slow it, at least, a little—his claws just tear into it, exposing… hollow insides? Nothing comes out. There's something colourful on the inside, coated by a rather solid looking bubble, but nothing resembling blood comes out of the arm. The arm seems to realise it's damaged and pulls back towards the surface, forcing Loqi to release it, least he get dragged along.

The other two arms retreat as well and an unnerving stillness falls over the seabed. Cindy's lying on the bed, both hands pressed tight to her left side, writhing in an attempt to relieve pain. Loqi quickly joins her and Prompto hurries, as fast as he's capable, to settle next to them, tugging at his sister's arm with a small whimper. There's no blood… but, she still doesn't remove the pressure and just offers a weak smile. A few bruises scatter along her arms where the hands nearly grabbed her; so, he can only assume that's what's on her side, as well.

"Don't worry, darlin'… just knocked me a bit b'fore I got away last time… Lo, y'alright?"

Loqi looks down at his hands—still formed in claws—and frowns as he flexes his fingers. "It felt… strange. Like some of the ship wreckage… like the hard nets, but I could puncture it."

Cindy nods a little, carefully pushing herself up on one arm and squinting up at the lights with a frown. "… Think it's pretty obvious we can't outrun 'em… _should_ we make a break for the trenches?"

Even though the question's directed at both of them, her attention—and soon Loqi's—is solely on Prompto. He shrinks in on himself a little, looking down at his hands. He didn't realise how badly he was shaking until just now and the realisation only makes it all the worse.

"W-why can't we just hide in the caverns in the grotto…?"

"They might have traps there, Prom… it ain't safe t'go home right now." Cindy's tone is gentle, if not still a little pained. Still, she glances over at the entrance to the grotto they use for home and storage. "They knew we were gonna come here… can't have actually been followin' us this entire time, how—?"

Before she can finish the question, the engines above them roar back to life. Prompto actually jumps and a small sob finally escapes his throat as his hands come up to cover his ears again. Loqi and Cindy both have their ears covered, as well; but, just as quickly as the engines turn on, there's silence again. Just for a split second before a more centralised booming noise sounds off. Not the same as the sonar the arms gave off; shorter. Like a collision.

Before any of them really have a chance to register _what_ the noise was or even _where_ it came from, a jet stream of bubbles is shooting toward them. With an effort Cindy manages to push both of them away, instead of trying to just retreat herself. The motion makes her curl into a ball, once more trying to put pressure on her side. Loqi recovers faster—just in time to see what the bubbles are, as they let way and open into another net. The heavier nets.

Prompto catches his arm before he can try to get back to their sister, trying to hold him back and force down the whimpers. Cindy pushed them away. She probably knew exactly what it was, she didn't want them caught, going back wasn't what she wanted—

"Prompto! Let. _Go_!" Loqi tries to pry his arm loose, struggling and clearly trying not to hurt Prompto in the process. He looks between them—frustrated and scared, trying to glare at Prompto and get him to let go faster; but, worried when he looks out towards Cindy—and tugs harder. "I ripped through the arm thing, I have to _try_ —"

"Go!" Cindy's voice overpowers his easily, echoing a little when she pushes the sonar vibrations through. Just like before, with the arm, the sonar seems to still the net, giving her a few minutes to try pulling it apart herself. To absolutely no avail before her hands are back on her side; the few seconds allotted a quick peek at the dark, angry bruising already forming along most of her left side. Distress is evident, even at a distance and she tries to put a tone of command in her voice. Tries. The attempt falls short and it comes out more as a desperate plea. "Go, y'all need to go while ya can. Find help—tell others to stay away, it ain't safe—"

The net recovers faster than the arm, giving a sharp, jerking motion when it starts pulling towards the surface. The force slams Cindy into the netting, onto an already bruised and injured side; makes her bite down the pain with an effort. Through gritted teeth she gives them a short warning.

"Cover yer ears… and then _run_."

She pulls a short, sharp breath; but, before she can scream this time, the net makes another jerking motion—this time like it's being dropped—and throws her back down. Not out of the net, but enough to toss her around and cut the attempt at another sonar wave short, forcing her to curl back up when she's slammed onto her side.

Loqi finally breaks out of Prompto's grip in those two seconds of fear—fear that loosens his hold, that makes him give a short, distressed cry as his brother darts straight for the net and starts pulling at it. Cindy tries to pry his hands loose, "Lo! I told you to _run_!"

"We're _not_ leaving you." Loqi pulls back on the net, voice straining with the effort, fangs grinding together. If nothing else, the attempt slows the net at least somewhat. Just a little. Enough for Cindy to realise she's not going to get him to leave, and she starts pulling at the netting from her side, opposite the way Loqi is, in some vain hope that they can make even a _small_ opening between the two of them. Anything for a little bit of leeway.

Prompto doesn't have that. He can't form claws the way they can, he hasn't come into the excessive strength. Even so, he can't just _stay back_.

He swims a little bit higher, towards what's likely the top of the net, where it bunches up and lets way to a long cord that looks like the arms. Loqi managed to puncture the arm—or, well, part of it—at least, so maybe…

He starts tugging where the net and cord connect, trying to get his brother's attention. "Lo! This part up here's like the arm—"

The words barely leave his mouth before Loqi's with him, claws digging into the thicker part of the net. If they can at least sever the net from the cord, they can pull the net and figure out how to get it open later. He manages to get his claws into the thicker part; but, no matter how hard he tugs, he can't rip at it. Puncture it, yes; tear it open or even make a small _scratch_ … no.

With a short growl, his attention turns towards the cord, clearly intent on seeing if he can cut through that instead; but, before he can, the arms are back. One shoots straight for him, hand opening and closing around him much quicker than it had with Cindy. The very moment the hand closes around him, a bubble begins to form between the digits, like a webbing. A webbing that, apparently, won't be broken. Even when Loqi rams a shoulder, likely his full weight, into the bubble, it does nothing but tremble a little. No crack. No pop. Nothing.

Prompto's still holding onto the net, heart pounding in his ears, against his ribs, his breathing getting shorter and a cold, numb fear settling in his core. He vaguely feels Cindy grab his wrist through her net, trying to get his attention; he only barely hears her talking to him, but doesn't really register the words. He barely registers that she's let go of his wrist, either, until he realises that the cold feeling is quickly being replaced by warmth. A very familiar warmth that is simultaneously comforting and nearly more terrifying than the situation as a whole.

He has absolutely no control over his magic, he doesn't know if it's going to do anything, if he can even aim it without hurting either of his siblings— _anything_. He's not sure of anything other than the fact he can feel the tingling spark spreading down to his fingertips again, down his tail and fins, the same way it did two years ago.

The same as two years ago, the feel spreads until the tingling sensation is coursing through his entire body. It doesn't push out the same way, though; he's pretty sure the magic _tries_ —he can feel it strain, like a sore muscle that's being overworked, but it's his _entire_ body—but… maybe he does have some kind of control over it. He doesn't want to release the magic, not this close to Cindy, not when he doesn't know what's going to happen. Loqi still has a burn on his arm, they don't know if it's going to do anything, and pretty specifically he doesn't know if it's going to hurt his sister. If there's a chance it'll hurt Loqi, even in the bubble. Would it break the bubble, would it just phase through the bubble and _still_ hurt Loqi? Last time he'd been clinging to Cindy and she hadn't gotten hurt— _because_ she'd been holding him? She's not, this time; _is_ it going to hurt her—?

"Prompto!"

Cindy's voice snaps him out of his thoughts, along with the sound of something cutting through the water. His head immediately snaps towards the sound, even though he's still struggling to keep the magic from reacting anymore than it already is. The second arm had been stationary—either uncertain it could grab him without damaging the net or because it simply wasn't interested in him so much as the older two—but _now_ it's moving towards him. And that, apparently, is all it takes. The second he flinches, bracing himself for the inevitability of being grabbed the same way his brother had been or batted out of the way like Cindy had been earlier—he feels the build-up of magic leave. The same way it had two years earlier, a simultaneous explosion of energy and wave of calm as the strain leaves.

Sparks of electricity travel up the cord of the net from where he'd still been holding it; it gives a protesting squeak and seems to freeze, but still doesn't release Cindy. At the very least, it's stopped trying to pull her towards the surface… for now. The arm that grabbed Loqi freezes as well, electricity crackling and dancing around the hand and bubble, but not permeating or even damaging it. It isn't moving at least. The second arm freezes, as well.

So… even that did nothing. Stalled the equipment maybe; but they know there are more. They don't know how many more but there are clearly more. Five arms earlier… how many more did the humans have control over? Loqi and Cindy's combined strength did nothing and Prompto's magic _maybe_ bought them more time.

He thinks Cindy might be talking to him. Telling him to run while he can, before more arms appear. Her voice sounds so far away, though, and… honestly, the only thing Prompto wants is to fall asleep. The edges of his vision are already starting to get dark and blurry… a few seconds to shut his eyes should hurt, right? The electricity traveled up the cord, probably to the source… maybe he'd frozen _all_ of the equipment like he had the arms and net. He should be able to close his eyes for a few seconds.

The last thing he registers before everything finally goes black is the feeling of his sister grabbing his arms at the same moment he slumps over the top of the net, lying out on it the same way he sleeps on the rocks in the caverns or the rocks above the water.

Just a few seconds. That's all he needs and then they can figure out what to do next. Everything will be fine. He has to believe that much; if absolutely nothing else he has to believe things will be fine. They've survived two years alone… they survived being abandoned and nearly starving through winter.

Everything's going to be fine. Because in a few years he'll be able to shift, just like his brother and sister can. They can travel on land and prepare better for the winter. Maybe learn more about the nets and arms while they're up there.

Everything's going to be fine, just like Cindy and Loqi promised it would and they wouldn't lie to him.


	3. Containment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes answers are worse than knowing nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> plotplotplotplotplotplotplot \o/
> 
> ♥  
> Arts from Chapter 2 \o/!!  
>  [From Izu](https://izuumii.tumblr.com/post/170821207396/chapter-2-is-here-things-happen-but-im-not-gonna)
> 
> [Lacie blessing us with some cute Sushis](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DVTdLKYXkAInE5T.jpg) (Also a [Super Cute Baby](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DVEUvX9WkAIIFZp.jpg))

Prompto wakes up with a splitting headache, a sore body, a sore throat, and an overwhelming desire to just turn over, wrap up in his tail and curl into a ball, and go back to sleep. With a short groan, he tries to do just that—tries to turn on his side, tries to pull his tail closer—only to realise he can't.

Immediately, his eyes snap open, darting to take in his surroundings. He can't move. He can turn his head a little, but he can't move. There's something tight around his neck, something clinging to his arms and offering an astronomical amount of resistance at even the smallest tug, and something's wrapped around the tip of his tail, right before his fin. Like getting tangled in a net or kelp, but it feels so much heavier. His only real consolation is his gills aren't obstructed; at the very least, even with the constriction around his neck, he can still _kind of_ breathe easily.

He confirms he's in one piece to the best of his ability—well, given that he can feel every ache, he's going to assume his body is in tact, at any rate; mostly to keep from assuming anything worse could possibly be happening—and finally tries to look around in earnest

The first thing he notices is the water is… green. Not the same crystalline clarity from the ocean but more like when they get to an area with a lot of algae and kelp. The water close to the cliffs. But… different. Still easy to see through but tinted green. Weird, but… not dangerous. At least, he doesn't think it is. He can still breathe fine in it, so there's that.

The second thing is how tiny his space is. Even though he can't move—or because he can't—the area around him is cramped. The boundaries are barely half an arm's length from him on either side. He's not sure how close the back of the enclosed area is; but the front is close enough that, even with the restricted movement, he can touch his hands to it. Whatever _it_ is. Solid, but clear. Like the bubble Loqi was in—

_Loqi._

The second he makes the comparison, the second his brother's name filters through his mind, everything starts catching up with him and he tries to turn his head again. The restraint around his neck digs into his skin, pulls forth a tiny whine of discomfort, but he doesn't really register anything as pain. More than anything, he's scared and, so far as he can tell, alone—

A thumping noise to his right makes him jump a bit—well, as best he can; it's more of a flinch, trying to recoil—and he turns his head as much as he possibly can without hurting himself. The bubble isn't clear on all sides, but it's just enough to see a little bit to his left and right and above him. He can't see the floor below him, but he doesn't need to. Not right now, not as a vague sense of relief washes over him. He's not alone.

Of course, the relief leaves just as quickly as he registers the rest of what he's seeing. He found Loqi, which is good, but… now he also has an idea of what he's in. If it's anything like what Loqi's in, at any rate. 

It looks like a giant rock that's been carved out. Like the ones the commune used to hollow to make beds and cribs for the younger Leviaen that haven't completely developed their gills to sleep underwater or those that _had_ developed their gills but still preferred bed to ground or flat rocks. Larger rocks were hollowed out for the older Leviaens who simply prefer to sleep underwater instead of on the dry ground of the undersea caverns. That's what the enclosure reminds him of.

But… also different. The casing definitely isn't rock—at least, it's no rock Prompto's ever seen. It looks more like… whatever the arms were made of. Grey and smooth and shiny. The front of the case is clear and, now that he can see Loqi, he has a better idea of why he can't move. His brother's a bit more restrained than he is—the thing around his neck is thick in width, looks thicker than the one around Prompto's neck feels, but isn't cutting into his skin the same way. There's four more on his arms—two on either bicep. He can move his forearms just enough to pound on the front of his enclosure, but even that looks like it's taking a considerable effort. Another one covers most of what Prompto can see of his torso; it starts below his chest and probably runs down to where his tail starts. Even from this angle, Prompto can tell that it's folding his ridge down and can only imagine how much pain his brother's in.

Even so, Loqi doesn't _look_ like he's in pain. He looks furious.

A bit of effort and Prompto manages to look around him towards another weird looking rock and lets out a slow breath of relief when he spots Cindy. Her rock is tilted a little—just enough that she's lying on the back, but still upright enough that Prompto can see her, at least. 

Her eyes are closed and _she_ looks like she's in pain; but, there's a steady rise and fall to her chest and shoulders and he can really only assume her gills are filtering properly for her to breathe. Her restraints are much more lax than Loqi's; she only has one on each arm, the same as Prompto does, and then… something covering most of her face. It covers her mouth and nose, wrapping around her head to keep secure… so, the humans probably realised she's the one that was letting out the sonar waves. Did they think it was _only_ her or were there measures that would keep Loqi and Prompto from trying? Given that Loqi's still trapped, he either just woke up, too—unlikely, he looks as alert as he does angry—or already tried and failed. Or was waiting for them to wake up before he tried. 

Taking at least some sort of consolation in the fact his siblings are… alive, at any rate, Prompto finally turns his head back forward, wincing a little as the restrain digs further into his neck. It finally stops when he's facing forward completely and he relaxes a little, letting his eyes rove the area in hopes of… any kind of answers as to what's happening.

The obvious answer is that they were captured. But beyond that, the only things he sees are causing more questions and answering absolutely nothing. He's not sure what he's staring at, other than a lot of shiny surfaces and a _lot_ of blinding lights and walls. White walls that reflect the harsh lights off the shiny surfaces outside of the enclosure. Like watching the sun shine off the sea on the horizon. It _should_ be blinding—Prompto can tell at _least_ that much… but he's definitely able to stare at it. Because of the bubble he's in? 

As an afterthought, he tries testing his voice. Maybe Loqi can hear him… and even if not, he should at least make sure his voice _works_.

"L-Lo? Where are we?"

Maybe he knows. Loqi tends to know a lot of things he probably shouldn't; things Prompto isn't sure _how_ he came across the knowledge, but it tended to be reliable. Usually things relevant to the human wreckage they salvage and scavenge through. Loqi's ears twitch a little bit and he turns his attention back to Prompto; for a few seconds, relief replaces the anger. So, he can hear him. That's… good. Isn't it?

"I don't know. Can you hear me okay?"

Not really. Prompto frowns. Loqi's voice is muffled and he's pretty sure the only reason he _can_ hear anything is because their ears are trained to pick up distant and tiny sounds.

"Mostly. I-is Cin okay, has she woken up—" to that question, Loqi just shakes his head. He might have some kind of verbal answer or at least a reassurance; but, the second he opens his mouth, he snaps it shut once more and his attention shoots across the room. Involuntarily, Prompto's does as well, every muscle in his body tensing in anticipation when a short hissing sound fills the room.

The tension doesn't release any as a small group of humans enter from across the room. The wall closes behind them, slamming together and looking like a solid facing once more. The entrance vanished? Did all human entrances do that?. They're covered from head to toe in white cloth, eyes obstructed by… something? Prompto's seen humans before, he knows they have the same general features he and his siblings do. None of these humans have visible mouths or eyes, though. It's… to say the very least, unsettling. He can hear a low growl emitting from Loqi—or, can hear the vibrations that come with his brother growling. So their ability to pick up sonar vibrations is still intact; they can't _actually_ hear each other speaking, but they can sense the vibrations. Not perfect, but, it's better than nothing. 

Prompto does his best to stay as calm as possible; even so, he can't bite down the distressed whine when a human at the front of the group breaks away from the rest and closes the remaining distance between them and where Prompto and Loqi are. Specifically… where Prompto is.

A few beats of tense silence and the human finally raises a hand, tugging at the obstructions on their face, soon revealing narrowed eyes, and a thin-lipped frown. Facial hair along their chin and deep set wrinkles in their face. None of that, in particular, bothers Prompto; what _does_ bother him is the way the human is watching him and he can't back up. He can't get away from the look, even as he tries to shrink in on himself, even when he hears his brother pounding on his enclosure again.

"Get _away_ from him!"

That, finally, draws the human's attention away. Annoyance crosses the face as they finally walk towards Loqi. Prompto presses as close to the bubble as he can, trying to get a glimpse of his brother around the human to almost no avail. What he can tell, at the very least, is that Loqi doesn't back down. He's still struggling against his restraints, hands balled into fists that rest against his bubble where he was hitting it. Not even a dent. Just like before. What are these bubbles _made_ of?

"So, you are capable of speaking at a civilised volume." A deeper voice. Prompto assumes, at the very least, that humans have the same generalised biology as Leviaens… so… was it too far fetched to assume the human was male? That seemed… logical enough. As logical as anything else. His thoughts derail a little as the human speaks again. "You three did _quite_ an extraordinary number on our equipment… you, in particular, I believe, destroyed at _least_ one of our salvage cranes, child."

"Use 'em on your wreckage, then!" Loqi snaps, not missing a single beat. "We aren't salvage—"

"No. You are not. You are _far_ more valuable than whatever trinkets have sunk to the depths." The human turns back on Prompto. "Fortunate for us. We were uncertain which of you was the intended target, but… you've all proven quite worth study. Even if we _were_ initially only looking for you."

Prompto blinks, confused, and tries to exchange the look with Loqi. He looks absolutely livid again—either by the implications, or the fact he was interrupted and ignored, Prompto isn't entirely certain—but also equally confused. Prompto chews on his lip for a short moment before finally meeting the human's eye. He was talking pretty civil-like. None of it makes much sense to Prompto, but, if nothing else, if they can stay civilised… maybe they can leave sooner. If nothing else, maybe his brother and sister are safe.

"Sir—I mean. U-uhm… I-I don't know how to address you… but, why were you looking for me?" More importantly _how_ did they even know about Prompto? Cindy and Loqi, he would understand. They've been on land. Never near humans or any civilised area, but if humans spotted them on the beach, that would make sense. Prompto crawled up on the shore every once in a while, but… if they'd seen Cindy and Loqi at any point, they had to know that they were Leviaens, too. So, that couldn't be why the humans were looking for him, right? 

The human looks impressed for a very short moment before the expression levels back out to a careful, resting neutrality that comes across with just the slightest hostility. Nothing about him is inherently aggressive, but… _something_ about him screams hostile. Something Prompto can't pinpoint.

"Sir, will suffice. Or doctor. Introductions are irrelevant; but, if you must know, I am doctor Verstael Besithia, lead researcher for the Niflheim Empire. Sir, doctor, or doctor Besithia will be a sufficient address from any of you, I suppose, if you _must_ address me, child."

There are a _whole_ lot of words there that Prompto doesn't understand. And none of them answered his question. He tilts his head as best he can, knowing the confusion is probably plain as day on his face. 

"Nifl…heim? What's that?" And an empire for that matter. And a doctor. Researcher? Was that the same thing as a doctor? 

"Nowhere we should be." Loqi sounds from his enclosure, still seething, though he's calmed down at least a fraction. So his brother understood _some_ part of that at least. Prompto isn't sure that's a good thing or not; but, Besithia turns towards him once more.

"I find it curious that you have knowledge of your whereabouts that your companion does not. Explain, child."

" _Stop_ calling me that." Loqi's eyes narrow. Even if they are still children, Prompto can imagine that it's more than a little infuriating. Especially since there's three of them and the man seems intent on addressing them all the same way. "And get the Hell away from my brother."

"You will have designations soon enough. I suppose we should get that taken care of, least we start confusing the three of you. That would be most unfortunate." Besithia looks down at a slab on his arm. 

Prompto blinks at it, watching the man produce a small cylinder from inside the white clothes and tap the end. A click echos in the room and he touches the tip to the slab; from his side, Prompto can see lines following the tip's movement—letters. Words. Writing—something to write with. Okay… that made some kind of sense. Humans could talk so logically they should be have a written form of communication. With some effort, he manages to shake the thoughts off when the man begins speaking again.

"We do have a few holes to fill in on the roster… starting from the top, I suspect the female is the eldest of the three of you, given the authority displayed. Designation: Three—someone put this into the systems so the records update." He doesn't miss a single beat; one of the other humans in white moves over to a different area, soon obstructed by the gray wall. It looks familiar… something from a wreckage, what did Loqi call it—a computer? The thing it's attached to is a desk so… probably a computer. Words that don't mean anything to Prompto, honestly; but words he knows. Words Loqi knows for some reason.

Besithia's attention drifts to Loqi, writing tool tapping against the slab a few times before he looks back down and begins writing once more. "Designation: Twelve, for the fighter. We'll need to assess his restraints more thoroughly, I don't want him breaking out. And, our prize." The man's attention drifts to Prompto, finally, eyes boring straight into Prompto, even as he tries to recoil. "Designation: Sixteen. You're a curious one. We could have avoided this entire mess, but _you_ never travel along the beach and I find that extremely odd."

So the humans _have_ been watching them.

Prompto squirms a little, trying to turn his head to glance at his siblings. He doesn't quite manage, but turns enough he can at least see Loqi in his peripheral. Once more, Loqi looks absolutely furious; but, he doesn't try to provoke anything further. Just seethes quietly, fist still pressed against his enclosure, clenching and releasing like he wants to summon his claws but uncertain what the consequences will be. What _are_ the consequences of acting out? Would it be personal reprimanding or was it a threat against each other? Was Loqi only behaving because Cindy and Prompto were in danger? Was Cindy even _okay_?

Prompto has a lot of questions and absolutely no way to get any answers. Humans have been watching them… why was it so odd that he couldn't shift? So far, Besithia's responded well to politeness so maybe Prompto can get an answer…

He finally turns a nervous look back on the man, squirming a little to try finding a comfortable stance with the restraints. "I-it's not so odd… I can't… shift like they can… I'm not—"

"Not old enough, as I understand."

Prompto's mouth snaps shut, surprise taking over. He doesn't even feel the pain on his neck when he throws his brother a startled look. Loqi looks surprised, now, too; and that, more than anything else, just seems to be a sign that things are _bad_. Swallowing his nerves, Prompto slowly turns his attention back to Besithia.

"H-how'd you know I'm not old enough? A-and why's it odd if you… if you know I'm not—?" 

Out the corner of his eye he can see Loqi's expression slowly leveling out from surprise. Neutral. Thinking. Slowly going through stages of realisation until he finally just looks agitated again.

"The same reason our 'designations' or whatever are so far spread out. There's other Leviaens somewhere. Aren't there?"

Prompto feels his heart trying to sink into the pit of his stomach. That can't be true. There can't be others; no one deserves feeling trapped like this. The enclosures are barely big enough to be comfortable and the inability to move is _really_ uncomfortable. But… if their designations really were numbers why _were_ they spread out so far?

Besithia hums a short note, writing more on his slab. "Clever. Analytical. Truly a helpful trait in a fight. You displayed such tactic during your merry little chase earlier, as well. Three damaged quite a few of our systems with her rather remarkable control over sonar frequencies but _you_ did quite the number on our equipment. Two cranes destroyed each other trying to catch you; and, you, yourself, tore a third wide open. You nearly destroyed one of our netting cranes. And this isn't even the peak of your physical growth. _Fascinating_."

That's… also not incorrect. Loqi looks uncomfortable, now, and Prompto frowns. Loqi's sixteen. He's still got at least four more years to grow into the rest of his adaptabilities—he'll get stronger, faster, _better_ with his claws. He's built to be a fighter. He's still coming into it, the same way Prompto's still growing into his own build—a smaller ridge than his brother's and he's considerably softer; but, he doesn't really _need_ to be up close and personal to fight. Not if he ever figures out how his magic works—

His magic.

Prompto feels his heart stop a moment as it sinks in and his fins droop a little. Loqi must notice because the next thing he hears isn't the doctor—it's his brother asking a very simple question that turns into a series of _panicked_ questions.

"Prom, what's wrong? Are you hurt— _what_ did you all do to him?"

Worry turns into anger in record time and, in passing, Prompto realises that Besithia looks equally curious.

"We've done nothing, yet. Are your restraints too tight? We've already made adjustments to Twelve, I suppose we should get you similarly adjusted. Having you bruised and bloodied because our safety measures are a touch extreme would be most unfortunate." A snap of the man's fingers and the human at the computer starts clacking away at something. Barely seconds later, Prompto feels the restraint around his neck loosening and pulls a deep, sharp gasp. Surprised, mostly, but also… that feels a _lot_ better.

Still, when he finally raises his eyes to meet Besithia's, he nearly shrinks back against his enclosure. All of his restraints have loosened—not that he's in much a mindset to really appreciate the relief. The wiggle room finally lets him back up; but, sure enough, his back hits whatever he's in barely inches away and it takes every ounce of willpower he has not to just sink to the bottom and try to hide in his tail.

His voice feels small when he finally finds it. "I don't know how it works, though... I didn't mean to use it earlier, I—"

Loqi finally seems to have caught on, as well, given that he immediately cuts Prompto off. "What good is Leviaen magic? Humans can't use magic—not all of you, anyways. Not here." 

In a normal situation, Prompto would be a lot more curious about why Loqi knows that; right now, though… he just feels miserable. Misfortune and trouble. He's the reason his brother and sister got caught—

A small frown etches across his face and, hesitantly, he finally looks up to meet Besithia's eye again. The man looked impressed by his earlier statement—a bit surprised, but impressed—and now he just looks bored again. Either bored or…. like he's trying to find a reaction. Prompto isn't sure. He hesitates a moment longer before he finally tries to ask. "How did you know I could use magic? I mean… I _have_ magic, but I don't know how to use it, it just happens and this is only—"

"Only the second time, yes, yes." Besithia waves him off. "Irrelevant. As are your questions, Twelve. Our information and our interest in your ability is irrelevant to either of you." The man's attention strays towards where Cindy is, his lips pulling into a scowl before he sighs an agitated note. "I suppose it's rather pointless to be here for the moment. We can't begin our research until Three wakes up and _all_ of you recover. The tests would be rather faulty if we began while you were injured… unfortunate."

He's not paying either of them any mind. Even when Loqi tries to demand answers, resorts to pounding on his enclosure again, the man ignores them and turns his attention, instead, to the group of humans still observing them.

"I want Three monitored closely. She will have a rather crucial role with our volunteer, I want her fully recovered before we begin the tests. Prepare the arena pool for Twelve. We will need fresh competition, see what can be done about this. As for Sixteen… for now, monitor his vitals. Make sure he's properly healed and healthy when Three is." Besithia finally turns back towards them, regarding Prompto rather specifically as he continues, " _He_ will have a rather invaluable role. Inform the ambassador and emperor that we've secured the subjects, as well, if they haven't been already. I suspect our ambassador will desire a word with the children soon."

Again, nearly all of the words fly right over Prompto's head. Did arenas mean the same thing to humans as Leviaens? The man mentioned competition, so it probably does. Or means something close… For them, it meant mostly-friendly spars, but something about the way Besithia adds ' _fresh_ ' makes Prompto think it's anything _but_ friendly. What exactly did they intend to have Loqi fight? Other Leviaens or something worse? Something the humans made or one of the monstrous fish that lived in and along the waters below the cliffs? Huge things that devoured everything in their path, including the sharks and orcas that used to hunt them. Did they expect Loqi to fight those?

Another hissing noise jumps Prompto from his thoughts and, when he looks up, the group of humans have disappeared. The one at the computer is still clacking away, a few moments longer, before making their way over to Prompto. They look up at him before their attention turns to their right; Prompto blinks and follows, curiously. There's a small box of sorts with little squares cut into it. White squares that light up bright green whenever the human touches one. If Prompto weren't absolutely terrified at the moment, he might find it fascinating… as it is, he flinches and curls into as much of a ball as he can when a loud voice suddenly fills his enclosure.

" _Recalculating tank preservation. Dropping temperature by point two degrees. Raising saline levels by point one. Calculations complete. Tank levels settling._ "

The voice sounds monotonous. Far too cheerful for the environment but Prompto ends up zeroing in rather specifically on one particular word. Tank.

Clarity washes over him as he looks around once more and then presses to the front of his enclosure—no. The front of his tank to look at Loqi's again. The human's messing with a box on Loqi's tank now and, sure enough, once they stop, the monotonous voice comes back. It's quieter now, likely because it's with Loqi; he jumps, the same way Prompto had, and looks alarmed. From the outside, Prompto can see the subtle changes the tank makes with the voice talking. The water is a little less green now. Whatever they're in, it isn't ocean water. Something the human's made to mimic ocean water but… different. Something about it makes Prompto feel… better. Not safer, not in the least. He's still terrified but _physically_ he feels better. He doesn't feel as exhausted as when he forced his eyes open and he doesn't hurt as much from swimming to keep up with his siblings. Did the water have healing magic? Was that why Cindy's was even greener than Loqi's? Was Prompto's that green? That seems to be a fairly safe assumption as, when the human gets to Cindy's tank—when his sister doesn't so much as flinch when the voice sounds over her—the water gets a few shades darker. It's almost the same colour as kelp now. 

Prompto really wants to ask. Maybe the human will have answers—

Of course, the second he works up the nerve to do so, the very second he opens his mouth, the human is already leaving. The wall opens with a short hiss, just like before, and Prompto can only stare when the wall opens like a mouth—a weird, sideways mouth—lets the human out and then slides shut once more.

For a few long, agonising minutes, Prompto can't bring himself to try speaking up. He's not sure what he's waiting for. Maybe for the wall to open again, for the humans to come back; for Cindy to wake up and let them know she's okay; to wake up _himself_ and found out this is all just a horrible nightmare. 

"Prom?" Loqi's voice snaps him out of his thoughts and he finally turns to look over at his brother. Loqi looks… not quite scared, but like he's fighting down the panic. Miserable, is a bit more accurate, but also not _exactly_ it. "You okay, little brother?"

Is he? Prompto glances down at himself, now that he can move his head without hurting his neck, and tries to assess himself for injury. The weird restraints on his arms are identical Loqi's. There's another one on his tail; he's not really sure about that one, but figures asking isn't going to get them anywhere. He has a few scrapes on his arms from hiding in the rocks; but, even those don't hurt—

He blinks, turning his arm over as best he can to look at the scrape there. He hadn't even felt the skin break; but, given where he'd been hiding earlier, squeezed down into the rocks as compact as he could be, he's not surprised. But scrapes like that usually hurt when the adrenaline finally wears off. It doesn't hurt and, what's even weirder, is that it looks like it's closing. His attention snaps back over to Loqi, confused. His brother's expression shifts to concern.

"What's wrong?"

"I—this… I think the tank is healing us?" Prompto tries to raise his arm enough to show it, but doesn't quite succeed and makes a frustrated noise. "I scraped my arm earlier—it's almost completely closed."

Loqi frowns at him but quickly looks down at himself as well; a small noise of frustration escapes and he shakes his head. "I can't see any of where I was bruised… but it doesn't hurt any, so you're probably right. But, if that's true…"

His attention drifts towards Cindy's tank and Prompto looks as well, feeling his fins droop again. Cindy's still unconscious. If it healed them was it just not working on her? Or was her tank different? Did they want to keep her unconscious? He can still see her breathing—her shoulders rise and fall in small increments every few seconds, so there's that at least. Before he can think to ask anything else, a new voice comes from further in the room—no. 

Not a new voice. Just one they haven't heard in two years. Prompto immediately perks up and he sees Loqi bristle, anger taking over his expression as his attention snaps towards the sound.

"So. They finally found you lot."

Prompto frowns, squinting against the tank. The room is bright as day, but he still can't see past a line of computers. He can't see where the voice is coming from and frowns, pressing up against his tank wall to try anyways. "You're—"

"The bastard that got my little brother in trouble." Loqi finishes, voice little more than a snarl. Even restrained his nails refine into claws, pressing against his tank like he's trying to puncture the wall and get out. "If you'd just kept your damn mouth shut _no one_ had to know what happened!"

"Lo—" Prompto's protests die on his lips and he squirms, uncomfortably. 

Loqi isn't wrong. The guard captain could have easily told the elders a fabrication. The burn looked like a bad scrape—Loqi's mentioned it a hundred times before, that they could've easily lied and said that him and Prompto got caught under a rock slide and Cindy didn't want to leave them alone. No one would've been any the wiser… well, the other guards; but they tended to fall in line with their captain rather well. Still… that was two years ago. Prompto pulls a slow breath and tries to redirect the conversation.

"W-what happened? A-after we left, I mean—h-how did you… are…" Does he want this answered? Loqi's apparently reached the same conclusion—not surprising, though; Loqi always figures things out fast. Prompto isn't sure how, but he does. Do they want an answer? Do they want the _truth_? "Are there others? Aside from you?"

There's a long stretch of silence before a tired sigh fills the room. "Gave you three designations… means we've lost at _least_ three more… down to eight of us now. Eleven counting you misfits, I suppose. Won't matter in the long run."

Designations. That word again. The numbers? Prompto frowns and tries to remember his. Sixteen? And Loqi was twelve… Cindy was three. So everyone was a number? What about their names? Prompto can't even remember the man's name and doubts Loqi even cares.

"After you three decided to swim off on your own—" A violent snarl comes from Loqi's tank; but, he doesn't interrupt past that— "The elders, of course, were required to move the commune to protect who all was left. Your mother grieved, never the wiser so far as I know. We'd only been traveling a day when we were ambushed. Nets and tanks, out in the open ocean… most of the commune escaped, I suspect. I hope. There were twenty of us in the beginning."

Twenty… and they're down to eight. Prompto feels something in him sink. Two years and twelve people are dead. Leviathan only knows about the rest of the commune, but Prompto never heard of them returning to their old grounds. If they survived they probably wouldn't have come back, regardless. Not with him here and not after being attacked. Why them specifically, though? Other groups had migrated through the area, none too concerned by the humans. It feels like an obvious answer, but one Prompto can't wrap his head around, no matter how hard he tries. 

What's worse is Loqi doesn't look like he cares at all. He's still glaring in the direction of the voice, still tapping his claws against the tank like he's waiting for a reason to care. Not surprising, but also… a little surprising. Prompto squirms again, hoping his voice isn't too soft.

"Are our parents okay—"

" _Prompto_." Loqi's voice comes out as a sharp warning. They've had this conversation. More times than Prompto's really comfortable admitting to. He knows it's Loqi's way of trying to protect him. Cindy's a little more lenient when he asks about the commune—when he asks about the possibility of going back—but Loqi's… a bit more adamant about the fact things aren't going to go back to the way they were. He didn't like it—none of them did; but, Loqi especially hasn't quite let the betrayal go. Family was supposed to be the most important thing and they'd been too willing to just cast Prompto aside, no matter how hard his siblings argued. 

Still… was it so wrong to want to know? 

His ears perk a little when he hears the voice coming from the darkness. "They weren't captured. I can assure you that much." The relief Prompto feels is short-lived; the old guard captain gives a short grunt of pain before continuing. "Wasn't quite awake when they were handin' out your designations. Which of you's which?"

"What's it matter to you?" Loqi snaps before Prompto can answer. "You think any of us are going to fall in and actually _answer_ to that?"

"I don't suspect you will, no. But, I can promise you that the humans won't care about your names. Can tell them until you're blue in the face. They're only going to use your designation—keep them in mind, it's the best way to know what's happening if they separate you three. Which I high reckon they will."

Separate. 

Prompto feels his heart pounding in his chest and exchanges a scared look with his brother. They were already in separate tanks what more could they do? The arena thing they were talking about—was Loqi going to be stuck there? And what about Prompto? Cindy? 

As the panic begins to build up, Prompto feels his arms getting colder. That's new; but, what isn't, is the warmth pooling in his chest. Warmth that travels towards his arms and goes from comforting warmth to ice cold in record time— 

_Oh no_.

His breathing gets heavier and a strangled whimper escapes as he presses into the back of the tank, trying to curl into a ball again, "Lo—"

Sure enough when he glances down, the scales along his arms are glowing a soft blue. That's… different. Different but the feeling is the same. Mostly. It's not the sharp prickles of pain that come with the electricity or the overbearing warmth of the fire. Did his scales glow different when the magic was different? If he were calmer he might be able to ask that; right now it's taking every ounce of willpower he has not to start crying again. 

"Prom—Prompto, listen to me— _Prompto_!"

His head snaps up and he clamps down on his lip, trying to stop the quivering, trying to swallow the sob, trying to blink tears back. Loqi meets his eye evenly.

"Just calm down, okay? It's—it's going to be okay." His voice is unsteady, but he doesn't look away. "I don't know how, yet… but we'll figure this out. Just like we always do. I promise. So, I need you to calm down for me, okay?"

Prompto whimpers and shakes his head, "B-but—w-what if it—what if that doesn't work—Lo, it's cold and I'm scared and I don't want them to take you away or Cin and—"

" _Prom_. No one's gonna take us away. And even if they do, we'll find a way to get back to you. Understand? _No one_ is taking you away from us." Loqi's voice evens out once more, conviction steady and determination set on his face. He lets out a slow breath. "It might take a while but we're _going_ to do this."

A few minutes longer of the shaky, unsteady breaths and Prompto finally manages a small nod. He's not sure if his brother can see him and, after a few long minutes, finally manages to find his voice. "M'still scared…"

"I know, Prom—I am, too, we just—" For the first time that Prompto can really think of, Loqi's voice catches. He pulls a deep breath before trying again. "We'll figure it out. We always do."

Prompto finally raises enough that he can press back to the front of his tank, trying to see his brother. Loqi gives him a weak attempt at a smile; but, the effort doesn't fall short and Prompto manages to reciprocate after a few seconds.

They can do this. The just need to wait for Cindy to wake up and then… they can figure it out.

It isn't until much later that Prompto finally realises that the magic calmed down. Not until he's fighting to stay awake in the tank; he has no idea how long it's been, but Loqi stopped talking a while ago, leaning heavily on one side of his tank, only held upright by the restraint around his torso. The one around his neck keeps his head from falling on his shoulder, but the tank wall seems to be substituting a pillow… kind of. Prompto doesn't have that; whenever he slumps forward too far or tries to slide down to the bottom of the tank, the restraint around his neck gives a tug and forces him back awake and back upright. His eyes feel heavy and he almost regrets the restraints being loosened. Earlier they were holding him up, allowing him to sleep, even if it had been extremely uncomfortable. 

Now, in the silence, he's left wondering how long they're going to be alone. The guard captain hasn't said anything since Prompto's magic acted up and quelled; Loqi needs rest and Prompto doesn't want to bother him. So that, for better or worse, leaves the youngest to his own devices. 

Sleep deprived, emotionally and physically exhausted devices.

Two years they managed to survive on their own. Two years they mapped out their grotto and made it home. Two years they've probably been under surveillance—

No. That's… not quite right. 

Two years his siblings scrapped together means to survive. Two years they were probably under surveillance because someone—Leviathan only knows who but _someone_ —told the humans Prompto had magic. How long have they been watched? How long have the humans been waiting for this? They knew where the grotto was. They knew the generalised path they took from the beach to the grotto. At the very least, they've probably been watched a few weeks. At most… the entire two years.

Even if someone from the commune had told them, though… how did they know? Prompto knows for a fact they haven't seen anyone from their old commune… but, then again… Cindy knew about the grotto from old tales she heard from gatherers. They probably _assumed_ that's where three kids would end up because… where else _could_ they have gone, honestly? 

But that still doesn't tell him why the humans are even interested in Leviaen magic. 

Can humans use magic? He's not really sure, but even if they could, it had to be different, didn't it? And what about Loqi and Cindy? The humans covered her mouth, but not his or Loqi's; yeah, her voice is stronger but if there are others from the commune, the humans _have_ to know it's something all of them can do, right? Just like they have to have _some_ kind of idea of how strong Leviaens are—Loqi couldn't break out of the bubble earlier and he can't break out of his tank. His and Cindy's strength combined couldn't damage the stronger nets and Loqi could _barely_ puncture the cord attached to the net. 

That's… a little easier to guess. If the guard captain is here, they have to have an idea of how strong Leviaens get. They knew Loqi hadn't reached his full potential yet and likely know Cindy hasn't either. Does that mean there are other sirens here? Is the guard captain even in any condition to be an accurate assessment of physical prowess? Who else _could_ have been a reference though?

Gods, Prompto can't even _remember_ anyone from the commune, anymore. He can see faces and hear voices, sometimes… but it's never words he wants to hear. It's never something he _wants_ to think about. He can't even remember their parents, most days; just that their father had been ashamed the day they were left behind. So… really… he has no memories of the commune. He knows the guard captain's voice, because he was the one that told their father what _probably_ happened; he couldn't prove it did, but… the strongest evidence was that Prompto had used magic. And he had. And that had ended with him and his siblings _barely_ surviving, only to end up captured.

Captured because someone that had already been captured—someone from the commune, someone that _knew_ what happened… told them Prompto could use magic.

Who all even knew though? Most of the guards. Their father. The elders. And one of the witches. Had it turned into gossip? Did the entire commune know—no. The captain said their mother never knew. Not gossip. Why even bring up the fact Prompto could use magic, there weren't any Leviaen communes—at least, to any of their collective knowledge—that even tolerated magic users. 

He's going in circles. He knows he is and just sighs, his body slumping forward and his head hitting the clear wall of the tank with a quiet ' _thump_ '. He can't think straight. He's tired. Exhausted physically and mentally and gods even know where his emotional standing is. The second he starts to fall asleep again, his body starts to sink again—tries to lower to the bottom so he can curl up and hide in his tail. But, sure enough, the second he gets too low, the restraint around his neck tugs and nearly chokes him. He doesn't really feel the ones on his arms pulling; but, the one around his neck is _impossible_ to ignore and forces him to try focusing on raising himself again. 

He's not sure how long he's going to be able to keep forcing himself awake. How long it's going to be until the humans return. He just has to hope it's soon; hope that maybe— _maybe_ —they'll loosen the restraints more or move him to a bigger tank without restraints. Maybe these tanks were only supposed to be for healing. The aches and pains he'd felt earlier are long gone; the only thing remaining is whenever the thing around his neck pulls and how heavy his eyes feel. 

All he can do is hope and even then… something tells him that hope is only going to get him so far—

As tired as he is, his senses go into overdrive when he hears the wall hiss to announce someone entering the room. Prompto immediately perks up and looks over at his brother, hitting the side of his tank with his tail to try getting Loqi's attention. For better or worse, Loqi seems to have woken up with the hiss as well. He straightens a bit, annoyance rather evident on his face, though Prompto isn't sure it's with the situation as a whole or the fact he was woken up. Probably all of it, honestly. When Loqi glances over at him, he tries to smile; but, his brother just looks concerned. Can probably tell exactly how tired Prompto is; but, even so, he tries to look a little hopeful. Both of them turn their attention to what they're quickly learning as the sound of humans walking. The footsteps are a little heavier and… Prompto is rather genuinely confused by what he's seeing now.

The humans before were all dressed in white. Faces concealed and practically blending in with the room around them. 

The new human is… a rather jarring splash of colour against the white and grey and blinding background. Yellow eyes practically glow from behind a messy curtain of red hair; it reminds Prompto a bit of watching the sun setting above the surface. Not just the colour, but… a strange sense of foreboding that came with sunset. The foreboding that came with knowing that the strange creatures on the beach became predominant the second the sun was out of sight. He squirms a little when the gaze drifts over him and can tell Loqi's physically fighting down the urge to do the same.

Eyes aside, Prompto tries to take in the human's appearance, but finds that even more confusing. How many layers did humans need to wear? Was it all one piece of cloth that just continuously folded over itself? If it isn't, Prompto's counted at _least_ three layers on the human's arm. He startles back to attention when a voice fills the air—not quite as deep as Besithia's and far more aloof, but also… somehow more threatening, all the same.

"Well, two of you are awake and that's better than none, I suppose." Gold eyes settle on Prompto for a short moment, before drifting towards Cindy, something just short of sympathy on the human's face. "Shame your sister hasn't woken, yet. Don't fret your precious heads, though; she will. This is the most advanced facility on this side of Eos—well… falling just short of Tenebrae, I suppose. But I don't think we'll count their methods. They don't quite play fair, you see."

Prompto didn't understand a word of that. He slowly glances over at Loqi, just to see if he's the only one confused; and, sure enough, his brother looks equally perplexed. Not agitated anymore, just really confused and clearly trying to work through the information for any kind of answers. Probably a bit more thoroughly than Prompto can, given how tired he is; but, one thing in particular jumped out at him and he frowns for a short moment before he turns back to the human.

"How come you called Cin our sister? The… doctor… didn't." That was the word Besithia used right? Prompto still doesn't know what a doctor is. Loqi tried to explain they were like the human equivalent of a witch; but… this doesn't look like a place that focuses on healing. Yeah, the tanks are doing _something_ that resembles healing. It still feels different, though.

He tries not to flinch when the attention gets turned back on him and the human hums a short note. "I'm not too surprised. Dr. Besithia is _quite_ a formal, all business type of man. Unfortunate, really. He'd likely have had a bit more cooperation with his prior subjects, were he even a fraction gentler with them. Or, perhaps not. No matter. Battle wary Leviaens only last so long. I suspect you three will be far more resilient."

Battle wary, so… the twenty captured were probably mostly guards. That accounted for at least half of the number, so what about the other half? It couldn't have been _all_ of the guards, they would have split off—most protecting the commune's escape while a number of them stayed behind to try fighting off the ambush and protect stragglers. So… guards and stragglers? Younger Leviaens? Loqi looks like he's working through the same information, trying to narrow down the list even a little. Irrelevant though it may end up being, if they had an idea of who all had been captured, maybe they can figure out what all they told the humans. If nothing else, the likely high number of guards would definitely account for the humans knowing Prompto could use magic _and_ explain how the humans found the grotto to begin with.

"You two look rather dreadfully uncomfortable, on that note. Let's see if we can't fix that a small bit, shall we?"

Before either of them can ask for clarification, the man's tapping away on one of the computers. Loqi's tank moves first and he sees his brother startle and thrash a little when the tank suddenly starts tilting backwards until it's at the same angle as Cindy's. Prompto presses up against the wall of his tank, worry rushing through him when he can't see Loqi as easily.

"Lo?"

"M'fine—I'm… fine." He doesn't sound fine. He still sounds unsteady, but, a moment later, he's pressed up against the front of his tank again, trying to give Prompto a reassuring look.

"My apologies for the lack of warning. You'll be much easier to accommodate." Another clacking noise and Prompto's restraints fall away in full. He blinks and looks down at his arms, then brings his hands up to press at his neck a few times. Sure enough, the restraints are gone and a quick test lets him verify that his tail is free. He turns a few quick circles to assess just how small the space is before he finally settles and just presses back against his tank with a small frown. Loqi hasn't been able to damage the tank, why only release Prompto—

"I realise how odd this must be, but we truly can't underestimate your brother." Their attention drifts back to the human, who tips their head in a dismissive gesture. "Those cranes were designed quite specifically to withstand the wear and tear of battle with Leviaens. They held up remarkably against the guards of your commune… and yet you tore one apart with hardly any effort. Perhaps a combined effort with your sister's sonar abilities that were merely overlooked… but, not something we can risk quite so readily."

The human gives a flippant flick of his wrist, a dramatic sigh filling the air. "Make no mistake, children—even were you to escape the tanks, you will not so easily escape the facility. But it would be _dreadfully_ unfortunate were you to injure yourselves during an escape attempt. You're old enough to shift—but, I'm certain you've realised you're considerably _softer_ as a human."

The attention zeroes in on Loqi, who immediately begins to squirm uncomfortably. He doesn't answer; but, it's pretty evident he doesn't _need_ to answer. Another dismissive hum fills the air.

"My most sincere apologies, it seems I've quite overlooked my manners. We won't become quite so well acquainted as you will with Dr. Besithia; to you, I will be a man of little to no consequence. However, one should not forego their manners." The human sweeps a rather grandeur bow for the briefest moment before standing upright once more. "Ardyn Izunia, chancellor of the Niflheim Empire and—far more importantly to the three of you—ambassador of foreign relations. Whether they be human or otherwise."

Prompto frowns. Otherwise? What else was there besides humans? Leviaens of course, but why not just say that? And why rely solely on a human as—

The realisation dawns on him seconds after Loqi. He can see the colour drain from his brother's face and _that's_ what makes it clear for Prompto. But that can't be right… can it?

"You're a Leviaen." Loqi's voice is quiet, his brows furrowed like he doesn't quite believe it, either.

Ardyn raises an interested brow at Loqi, giving him a rather passive smile. "I'm curious as to how you came to such a conclusion… I fear I haven't quite caught any of your names. Quite a few nicknames, but no names. Or would you rather be addressed by your designations?"

Loqi glares, but ignores the inquiry to their names. "You know a lot about how Leviaens work… probably should as ambassador or whatever. But you don't just _become_ ambassador and _then_ learn about other species… maybe you did, but I don't think so. You've got a pretty solid understanding of how genetics seem to work, too. Better than just learning from whatever 'subjects' the doctor had. Why trust a human with that task? And more importantly… if you _were_ just a human, how did _you_ even find out about Leviaens. There's lore everywhere, but not a whole bunch of people survive to confirm the lore from first hand experience. So, you're either a Leviaen or a human with a grudge. Human with a grudge wouldn't be trying to make us comfortable, though."

There's a short stretch of silence—hesitation, like Loqi isn't entirely certain of his conclusion himself—before he shakes his head.

"If you're a Leviaen, though… _why_ are you helping humans—like _this_? Made it sound like you had a hand building the stuff chasing us. Thought the doctor just knew how we worked because there were others, but… you told him, didn't you?"

Ardyn raises a brow, looking rather passive for the entire deduction. Right until the very end when his lips quirk into a momentarily impressed grin; even so, there's an air of mockery as he gives a slow round of applause. 

"Oh, bra _vo_. Aren't you the clever one… you're going to be quite a handful, I suspect." The mockery lets way to a rather cruel sort of amusement, the applause coming a halt rather abruptly. "No matter, however. Answers are irrelevant to all of you. You should be very much more concerned with yourselves, dear boy. After all," Ardyn crosses the short distance to Loqi's tank, tapping gently against the front. "You've quite the days ahead of you once your sister wakes up. I suspect they'll have all sorts of interesting games for you to survive."

His attention drifts back to Prompto, not giving Loqi a chance to answer. "And you… you have an extremely important role. You two should rest while you can… we want you in tip top shape for when the learning begins, don't we?"

For a short moment, Prompto would swear his eyes glow an even brighter yellow and, when he grins this time, a full-tooth grin, he doesn't see teeth. He sees fangs. 

A startled, distressed noise escapes when he pushes off the front of his tank, hardly feeling the pain when he hits the back rather solidly—doesn't even have the mind to try assuring his brother he's okay—and lets his body sink down to the bottom, wrapped up in his tail, in some attempt to get away from the grin. A rather malicious laugh fills the room as the man leaves; but, Prompto doesn't uncurl himself until the laughter fades and he hears the door hiss and shut again. Even then, he stays in the tight coils, both hands clamped tight over his mouth to try forcing a new wave of sobs down. 

Fear. Realisation. Exhaustion. Everything just seems to be piling up and making it all the harder to fight the surge of emotion down.

He vaguely hears Loqi trying to tell him things are going to be fine; but, as much as he wants to believe the words, he can't. He can't because there's no possible way things are going to be fine. There's no possible way they're getting out of this—if Loqi can't even put a little bit of a dent in the tank, Cindy can't use her voice, Prompto already knows his magic is basically useless against the humans' technology, _and_ he has no idea how to control it. He doesn't even know what triggers it. The amount of stress he's under right now _should_ fall in line with the past triggers—the sharks, the nets and cranes or whatever Besithia called them, the realisation he was responsible for his siblings being in this situation. Logic dictates he _should_ be charged right now; but, all he feels is empty. Cold, empty, numb, scared, and miserable.

Misfortune. Misery. Trouble. 

The elders were right and he can't even get them out of the situation. He can't just try to sneak off—something he's considered a rather shameful number of times over the past two years—and hope they don't try to follow him. He can't even try to tell the humans he'll cooperate if they let his brother and sister go—their own abilities became obvious during the chase and _now_ humans were interested in them, too. Because they didn't know which one of them had magic, because they couldn't catch Prompto, because—

Because a lot of things, honestly. He can't even work through the entire list. At the very least, as he's finally starting to fall asleep in the ball he's curled into, he does come to _one_ revelation of sorts. One that probably shouldn't make him feel better about the situation; but, it kind of does and _that_ just makes him feel a bit worse. But only a bit.

They were found because the commune was attacked. Someone from the commune told the humans he had magic and that's why they were found. But, Prompto hadn't been there; even if he hadn't had magic and they hadn't been abandoned, the commune still would have been attacked. And, as horrible as the situation is and as horrible as he knows it's going to be, that brings him some small sense of comfort. 

His misfortune bought them time. Let his siblings get stronger in the two years they've been alone. So… so maybe they can figure something out. Between the two of them. And if all Prompto can do is keep the humans distracted from his siblings _so_ they can escape? It's better than nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A heads up! Kiri's going to be in Maine for the next week visiting Lizi!!!! Chapter _might_ be a little late, but I'm still determined to post it on Monday! Chapter 4 _is_ started, it's just a matter of finishing it while we're hanging out X3
> 
> ~~Also, someone help me, the chapters are getting progressively longer~~
> 
> ♥ Love you all, thanks for reading and if you spot any silly typos we may've over looked, lemme know! ♥


	4. Struggle [I]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Cindy awake, things should be getting better, should offer some flicker of hope. There's a lot of 'shoulds' in their lives, now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was mostly done last week, but Vacation Time made it very hard to focus on writing but I am back and have been resisting posting since like Thursday and I'm sorry orz *grovels quietly*
> 
> ♥ Izu [Arts](https://izuumii.tumblr.com/post/171134922421/chapter-3-new-chapter-update-happened-on-monday) for Chapter 3!!

Prompto doesn't have any real reference for how long it takes Cindy to wake up. He doesn't know how time passes, just that it does. Twice a day, the humans come in to check on them and make adjustments to their tanks. Using that as a counter… it's probably been four days, if they're right, before Cindy finally wakes up. Sometimes, the doctors that come in will adjust the covering on her face—a mask is what Ardyn calls it, during one of his visits. If Prompto had any idea what was going on at the time, he would have asked the man about the day and time whenever he visited. 

Loqi doesn't like him. Prompto doesn't either, but Loqi refuses to speak to the man whenever he visits, even when Ardyn is making idle gestures at both of them during his talks. Prompto at least _tries_ to listen… but, a lot of what the man says doesn't make any sense to him and whenever he tries to ask Loqi he gets… nothing. So, after the third visit, he just stops trying. 

Regardless of what he does or doesn't understand about the situation, Cindy finally wakes up after another six visits from the human doctors and two more visits from Ardyn. The second she does, she goes from groggy pain to alert panic in near record time, her tail giving a violent thrash—as best it can with the likely restraint wrapped around the bottom—and she immediately starts pulling at her mask. It takes them a while to get her calm; but, as soon as she is, Loqi's trying to fill her in as best he can. The entire time, her brows are furrowed, knit tightly together as she looks between them, clearly trying to work through the information while simultaneously trying to get her bearings, still. About the same time Loqi finishes, the wall hisses—Cindy jumps; he and Loqi have, for better or worse, gotten used to the noise and just glance over—to announce the first visit of the day.

Assuming they're right, anyways, Ardyn's visit generally denotes the middle of the night—they think—and this… would be the first visit of a new day. If they're right.

To absolutely no surprise whatsoever, Besithia's attention immediately goes to Cindy, one brow raising in appraisal at the fact she's awake, before he makes a waving gesture at one of the other humans—assistants, if Prompto remembers correctly—towards the computers. "Spectacular. Make a note that the subject designated Three has woken and ensure her vitals are properly assessed. We may finally be able to begin our work." 

The man looks down at the slab he carries around—a clipboard, Prompto knows now. He's learned a lot of strange new words over the past few days. The mouth on the wall is a door. The thing Besithia writes on is a clipboard with paper and he's writing with a pen. Menial things, but things that help make the day a little bit easier. The restraints on their bodies are generally just called cuffs or bands—band is only really used for the thing around Loqi's torso; the ones on their arms and tails are cuffs; the thing on Cindy's face is a mask; and, the ones around their necks are collars. Prompto still doesn't like the collar, even though he hasn't been restrained once since Ardyn released him that first night. Loqi's restraints have been adjusted nearly every visit and he's finally at the point he can't actually move either of his arms or his tail or his body and, the third visit—or maybe it was the fourth, everything kind of blends together after the first visit—two more cuffs were added to his wrists, keeping his arms extended to either side of him, hands resting on the sides of his tank.

He's tried, on an almost regular basis, to claw his way out; but, no matter what he does, he can't seem to get a decent grip in the tank and, from what he tells Prompto, he just leaves tiny surface scratches.

Now that Cindy's awake, though… Prompto can't even begin to imagine what's going to happen. Maybe they'll finally be out of the individual tanks if they're deemed healthy enough. Or given actual food. He's not really sure what the doctors have been feeding them—some strange, solid block that kind of looks like a brown rock. It doesn't taste like much; but, after probably two days of just poking the bars, he and Loqi had both given in and finally tried eating them. Whatever they are, they fill them up pretty well. Prompto's still hungry but not _starving_ , at least. Regardless, hopefully now that Cindy's awake, they get something that resembles actual food—he misses fish; desperately misses fish—and _hopefully_ some answers.

Besithia's voice snaps him out of his thoughts and he quickly turns his attention to the man, head tilting a little and trying to figure out what all he's missed from the conversation.

"—once you're done with Twelve, have him moved to the arena. Regardless of his condition, this will be a rather spectacular demonstration, I believe. We'll need to work with Three a bit longer… Sixteen is rather obsolete for the time being. Monitor him until the ambassador can determine what his stress meter is. Let the emperor known we'll be taking suggestions for volunteers soon… I believe he's someone in mind; but, until we can confirm as much—and confirm this is even possible—we'll need other subjects. Check with Uldor. Any issues he has, we'll take. He won't be too worried about them potentially disappearing."

Prompto just blinks, slowly, and throws his siblings a worried look. Cindy looks beyond confused and remarkably uncomfortable when one of the humans in white comes over and starts tapping on the panel next to her tank. Just like the first night, muffled though it may be, Prompto can hear the tank begin talking in response. His sister startles; but, she can't really react with her restraints still in place. As the human continues—alternating between the panel and writing on a clipboard—her tank finally begins to clear up. His and Loqi's tanks still have the weird, light green water. Cindy's had nearly been the same colour of kelp, but it's slowly starting to match theirs. So, whatever they'd been healing, she seems to be in the clear finally.

Prompto squirms a little, his attention drifting to Loqi. His brother has his fangs bared, growling when a pair of humans get too close to his tank and start assessing him the same way the first human is assessing Cindy. It always takes more people for Loqi; like they genuinely are afraid he's going to spontaneously escape when he quite literally can't move any of his limbs or even really his hands. With a slow breath, Prompto, turns back to Besithia, hesitating. Over the past six visits, the man has remained responsive to manners. So long as Prompto's polite, he _usually_ answers some questions, at least. Most of them are ignored or brushed off as irrelevant; but, every so often, he gets lucky. It can't hurt to try today.

"Uh… Dr. Besithia, sir? What's an arena and… and why is my brother…" He trails off, hesitation turning into him recoiling in full when the man's attention is on him. It takes a considerable effort not to curl up in his tail, but he manages. Somehow.

For a long moment, the doctor merely regards him with a rather passive, borderline disgusted look, before his attention turns to where Loqi's still making aggressive, hostile noises at the humans around him. He doesn't even seem to realise that Prompto's spoken or Besithia's monitoring him now.

"Your brother. The ambassador mentioned a possibility of you being siblings—now that I consider it, Twelve called you 'brother' as well, didn't he. I suppose I should have paid a bit more mind. That makes the situation a bit more fortuitous than originally anticipated. Marvelous. To answer your question, however, Twelve is a rather remarkable fighter. I believe I've already commended his ability to handle our equipment."

Prompto gives a slow nod, brows knit together tightly. He's not really sure why or how that's relevant; but, the pause seems to be waiting for some sort of confirmation, so he finally speaks up with a confused, "Yes, sir?"

"I'm certain our ambassador's gone and said far more than he should have. Rather irresponsible of him, but I've long come to terms with the fact that he will say what he so desires, regardless of potential consequence. He does manage to garner rather marvelous results, usually. To your point, however, the ambassador helped us design the equipment used in your capture, with his own experience and from data gathered from various other test subjects."

Other subjects. Prompto frowns a little. "You mean the other Leviaens. The ones we used to live with."

If there really are still eight of them, Prompto hasn't heard or seen them. He hasn't even heard the guard captain since the first night and the only reason he hasn't questioned imagining that was because Loqi had been part of the conversation and usually spends at least some portion of the night trying to figure out if the man's still in the room with them—in that dark corner neither of them can really see into, despite enhanced senses and despite the stupidly bright lights around them.

He flinches a little when Besithia turns a mild glare on him; but, just as quickly, he realises it's the man's usual expression and the doctor gives a short, rather curt nod.

"Correct. The guards from your commune. They were our subjects to test equipment. We couldn't have you three getting away so easily, after all. Especially in light of learning just what you could do. That said, they made no mention that you were far too young to be of any actual use… but I'm certain we can find a way around that."

The frown etches even deeper and Prompto just gives a tiny nod, to show he's done for the moment with a quiet, "Thank you." 

Honestly, that probably doesn't deserve a gratitude, but it's kept him on Besithia's good side so far and he'd like to stay there if it meant he got answers, still. Answers he may not understand, but answers he could relay to Loqi and, now, Cindy.

Despite the number of visits and the humans continuously monitoring their health and adjusting their tanks to accommodate any lingering pains—from the chase, from the restraints from the cramped sleeping conditions—Prompto still has absolutely no idea why they're interested in his magic. He kind of gets their interest in Cindy and Loqi. 

The humans clearly have sonar-like technology that they could probably amplify by manipulating Cindy's voice. He's seen some of the humans speak into a small, silver rectangle that talks back and repeats what they just said in a crisper tone. If they could get Cindy's voice in the tiny box, they could probably use it. 

And, Loqi… what else was out there that would require the endurance to withstand a Leviaen? The bigger fish and monstrous creatures in the depths of the ocean? Why anyone would want those, he isn't really sure. But if Loqi could dent their equipment even a little, the creatures would slaughter them. Maybe they wanted those? Or maybe they were after a different Leviaen altogether. Communes have been getting remarkably scarce in the area; they hadn't thought much of it over the past two years—more focused on surviving than migratory patterns—but if they were being hunted it made perfect sense.

Prompto though? Prompto has magic. Magic that, so far as any of them can really tell, is absolutely useless to humans. Maybe Ardyn would have a use for it but that seems rather outlandish to consider. The man is considerably older than all of them—if he _did_ have magic, it was bound to be far more powerful than Prompto's… unless he _didn't_ have magic and _wanted_ it? Would that even work? Prompto still isn't sure _what_ determines a Leviaen's strength and weaknesses; he knows some part of it is genetics. As obvious as that is, it's equally obvious not to be the only factor. Of their entire family, Prompto was the only one with magic; Cindy was the only one that really qualified as a siren; and, Loqi was the only one that could be classified as a fighter. He can't remember what their parents are—were, rather—but it doesn't change the fact no one else had magic.

With an effort, Prompto manages to shake the thoughts off and just watches, quiet and curious and more than a little scared, as the humans move his brother's tank. He's not sure what they're moving his tank _on_ —recognises the smaller components, like the wheels and handles and bars; but, isn't really sure what the thing is collectively. Something that moves larger objects without too much apparent strain. It is a little scary to watch, as Loqi continues to tug and fight his restraints. He doesn't make any real leeway, but the motion seems to rattle his tank as he's transported. It doesn't seem too farfetched to assume he'll break the tank if he keeps thrashing; but, he either doesn't notice or doesn't care. Prompto's pretty sure the humans have measures in place to ensure the tank doesn't fall or break, regardless. Ardyn has—and Besithia, by now—mentioned that Loqi escaping would be 'inopportune', whatever that meant, and dangerous. Explained that's why Loqi's restraints were more elaborate, more secure than Prompto or Cindy's, even before they just let Prompto loose altogether that first night.

This time, far against his volition, his thoughts scatter with a start as he feels his tank move. Jumped, Prompto immediately backs up as far as he can, nails digging rather uselessly at the wall behind him to try finding a grip and steadying himself. The water moves with the tank, the same way waves wash over him when he lays out on the beach or flat rocks to sunbathe; but this isn't the same relaxing feeling. It makes him feel unsteady and a bit sick as the water sloshes. A bit unsteadily, he slowly moves back to the front of the tank, trying to watch where he's being taken. Given the enclosure, he probably shouldn't be able to tell that the water moves differently; but, he can and if the way Cindy reacts is any indication, she's experiencing the same sensation. She can't retreat the same way Prompto can, but she still thrashes for a short moment before realising that staying still is the best option. From what he can see of Cindy's tank, they've been attached to the thing that Loqi was taken out in. He isn't really sure where they're going but this is… a little better than staying in the same room any longer than they have been.

However long it's been, the scenery is nearly burned into his memory and they haven't seen anyone else since they arrived. Just the humans and… whatever Ardyn is. He claims to be a Leviaen, for whatever it may or may not be worth, but they haven't really seen any evidence of it past the knowledge and _maybe_ his fangs. Even then, Prompto isn't entirely sure he didn't imagine that.

Instead of focusing on what he doesn't know, Prompto carefully presses himself up against the front of his tank, trying to get a better look at Cindy first—finds her already pressed against her tank, as best she can be, trying to get a look at their surroundings—and tries to follow her example. The attempt doesn't offer much in the way of new information. The grey wall is a pleasant contrast to the blinding white room they've been in. What isn't so helpful, however, is there doesn't seem to be anything on the walls; the grey makes it a bit easier to see the details. A little. Enough to realise that the walls are more panels than just a single face that Prompto thought they were. Every few panels let way to a clear wall—windows? Is that what Loqi called the things on the ship? That sounds right, at any rate; the windows here are a lot bigger than the ones on the ships in the depths. What's on the _other_ side of the window, he's not really sure and doesn't know where to begin figuring it out. But, that seems pretty irrelevant to basically everything else around them. The silence is unsettling and broken only by the humans occasionally speaking to each other, though Prompto isn't making too active of an attempt to listen to them. 

They go through a few doors—much bigger than the one that was in the old room; instead of just being what Prompto now assumes was two panels on the wall, these are take up the entire hall they're in—before they're in another room with… even less than the first room they were in.

Prompto frowns and presses closer to the front of his tank, hoping he's wrong. But, sure enough, no matter how much he tries to crane his neck, he can't see anything. Darkness. A kind of green-blue light fills the room from the ground, but the little bit he can see is just walls. Before he can even think to ask or try to see if Cindy's focused on any one spot, the tanks give a jarring lurch forward. Even having been prior pressed to the front of the tank, Prompto still feels the rest of his body hit the tank with the motion, only to find himself falling even further.

 _That_ ends up being more painful than he's ever considered possible. He feels his body try to make the switch from gills to lungs, for the first time in _days_ , only to be forced back to gills before he even registers the change. He's not even sure it was a full change and spends a few minutes writhing and coughing as his body tries to figure out what's happening. He's only just gathering his bearings before he feels weight crash into him, arms wrapped tight around him and, once the rest of him finally catches up to the present, he wraps his arms around his sister as tight as he can.

Cindy pries him loose what feels like seconds later, turning his face gently and feeling down his arms and sides, circling him a few times, like she's looking for injuries. Satisfied, she finally settles and just takes a gentle hold of his face again, rubbing her thumbs over his cheeks and looking about as relieved as Prompto feels. Well. As relieved as Prompto wants to feel, anyways. Cindy looks… better. The bruise that had been on her side is gone, thankfully, and she doesn't look to have any new physical injuries; she still looks frazzled, but the worst is the thing still covering her face. Once she's assured herself Prompto is safe, she finally turns her attention to trying to pull the mask off again. 

She touches the front a few times, pressing along the sides like she's trying to find a latch or something to pull loose. Prompto watches until she finally just gives up on finding an easy way, flexes her hands into claws—not as sharp as Loqi's, but still effective—and tears the mask off on her own. The pieces float towards the bottom of… wherever they are now. With Cindy's safety assured, Prompto finally looks around, unsettled. Cindy swims by him, making a short motion for him to stay put and swims until she finally hits a wall and puts one hand against it before beckoning Prompto forward with her free hand. 

Cautiously, Prompto obeys and comes up on her side, confused. Cindy looks even more perplexed and, after a moment longer, Prompto finally realises why and looks at where her hand is. 

In the tanks they'd been in before, even pressed flush against the part he could see out of, Prompto could see around him. He could see his surroundings and his siblings and realised there were things outside of the tank. Where Cindy's hand is, though, and as far as he can see in front of them, just looks like even more water. It's like being in the ocean, just… bleak. No rocks or coral or plants or fish or sunlight or… anything. Just water. An endless stretch of water with no apparent boundaries on any side. When he looks up, he _thinks_ he can tell where the surface is; but, it just gets steadily darker, so he isn't really sure. Below them, he sources the lights shooting up from the bottom of the giant space. He's not sure _where_ the lights are specifically, but they're definitely coming from the "ground". He's assuming this is another tank. A bigger tank. 

He should probably be scared; but, right now, he's just glad Cindy's awake and more or less alright. 

With that in mind, he finally turns his attention back to his sister, tugging gently on the hand that isn't against the invisible wall to try getting her attention. "Cin? You're okay, right?"

Just because he doesn't _see_ any injuries doesn't mean she's actually alright, by any measure. Now that they're out of the smaller tanks, a few body aches are starting to catch up; but, Prompto just figures that's mostly from being cooped up in the cramp space for so long. As soon as he starts swimming it'll hopefully work itself out. 

Cindy finally turns her attention down to him after a few minutes longer and offers a gentle smile when she runs a hand back through his hair. "I'm fine, darlin'. You an' Lo? You don't look hurt none… how about Lo?"

Even as she's asking, her expression starts to fall, even as she struggles to keep the gentle smile in place. Prompto feels his shoulders droop a little and he squeezes Cindy's hand a little tighter. "He _was_ okay… he's still gonna be, right, Cin?"

He's expecting immediate reassurance; but, when all Cindy can do is give his hand a slightly tighter squeeze and a thin smile, he doesn't try to ask again. They don't know. For all they know, Loqi isn't okay. It's high likely none of them are really going to be okay; but, given that they have no idea where Loqi is, they really can't confirm the situation.

Cindy letting out a slow breath pulls Prompto's attention back to his sister and she finally offers him another smile. Or at least tries to. "Alright. I know it might be a bit difficult darlin', but I need you to tell me what happened, best ya can. Think ya can do that for me, Prom?"

Not really, but he can try. Not as easily as Loqi could, but… Loqi isn't there so, Prompto's going to have to at least _try_. He does his best to recount what happened when he woke up—tries to remember as much of Besithia's explanations as he can, what he can remember about the guard captain and what they were told about their commune, the way his magic tried to start up again. Cindy's quiet for the entire explanation; her expression hardens for a short moment when the commune is mentioned, despite the spell of surprise when Prompto tells her the captain had been in the room with them. They think. Prompto still really isn't sure—given what happened, he had to have been there, but something still feels _off_ about it. And, as much as he really doesn't want to, Prompto tells her about Ardyn, too. That, finally, gets some sort of reaction from his sister. Confusion, for a short moment, when Prompto hesitates to continue; but, as he tries to explain the man, confusion slowly starts to level out to surprise, to anger, to some mix of disbelief and anger. 

"So this ambassador, or whatever he's callin' himself… y'all think he's a Leviaen?"

"I don't… know." Prompto squirms a little. Normally, he'd have something to hide behind to get away from the look. He knows Cindy isn't mad at _him_ , but it's still hard to keep still. "I mean… it made sense at the time and… there's a lot of stuff he just _knows_ , Cin. Like… the genetic stuff Lo tries to explain. Cultural stuff. I guess they could've just had other Leviaens, but… I don't _think_ so. Like. Dr. Besithia was talking about stuff, right—he knew I wasn't old enough to shift and knew Lo wasn't done growin' into his abilities. But they talk about it different; Dr. Besithia says it like… like he's reading something, I guess. But the ambassador just says it like… casual conversation."

He doesn't know how else to explain it. It's uncomfortable to consider and more so thinking about some of the more specific things the man knows. That he understands Prompto's magic—isn't surprised Prompto has no control, but _very_ surprised by the fact there's different magic. Prompto still doesn't quite understand that.

The second visit, he'd tried to answer some of Ardyn's questions—far against Loqi's advising—in hopes of some kind of answers for himself. Prompto opened the conversation on his own, asking why fire had hurt his brother but the electricity hadn't hurt his sister and what the blue glow was supposed to do. He suspects it was ice; but, he's never actually _done_ that before and has absolutely no idea what would have happened. The man had checked something on the computer (or put something into it, Prompto still isn't sure how the computers really work), but hadn't really answered the question Prompto posed to him. Instead, he started asking about Prompto's magic and, probably against anyone's better judgment or even any of the other humans' knowledge, loosened Loqi's restrains enough to assess his arm through the tank. The tank hadn't healed the burn, they think because it's an old injury and would need to be reopened to heal; but, it had been enough to prove that Prompto had the second magic. He couldn't prove the part about the ice and the humans had data on the electricity from the chase.

They had also, quite unfortunately, learned that the restraints were controlled by the computer. Loqi barely had fifteen seconds to try clawing his way out of the rest of his restraints before the two discarded ones latched back onto his arm, pulling it back into the rigid position it had been in prior and limiting his movement once more.

No matter how hard Prompto tried to answer those questions, he didn't get any new answers; just a more solid understanding about the fact his magic was different. Something he simultaneously already knew, but also didn't really understand. There was nothing to go off of, so far as magic went—not offensive magic. Healing magic had at least some kind of understanding; but, what he could do? Nothing. Ardyn _might_ have had answers, but he wasn't offering any.

Cindy sighing draws his attention back to the present and he finally shrinks a little, the tip of his tail giving a tiny, anxious flicker. She just offers a small smile and shakes her head. "Nothin', darlin'. Just… a lot to take in, wakin' up. Sure it was for you an' Lo, too."

Before Prompto can try to assure her things are fine—well. Not fine. But, better than they were—a loud splash jumps both of them. Cindy turns back to the wall, trying to source the sound, and pushes Prompto behind her, immediately. 

A few things jump out at Prompto with the noise.

First, they're next to a second tank for some reason. The wall isn't just there to confuse them, with the water continuing past it; it's there to create a barrier. The shock of the splash doesn't transfer to their tank, and the bubble veil from impact collides with the other tank's wall, confirming as much. When he looks down this time, he realises there's a small strip of grey, far below them, like the walls and grounds he'd seen earlier. A little bit of space between the two tanks. Why, though? What needed two tanks? Why put space between them? Was there water in the between space? Was it empty? Just there to create a buffer? He's not sure and, as much as he wants to ask Cindy, he's starting to get back to the point he's too scared to even try asking.

Second, is that whatever hit the water is _big_. The veil of bubbles are still trying to clear, but making no progress, whatsoever. Whatever was dropped is thrashing, violently, and stirring up more bubbles. Prompto finds himself hoping the tank walls are thick. He knows that Loqi couldn't dent his tank, but this is quite obviously much bigger than Loqi is and, so far as Prompto can hear it, not something any of them could handle. The sound is unsettling, at best. A deep, rumbling growl, nearly drowned out by the violent thrashing.

Barely seconds after the thought crosses his mind, whatever was in the bubbles darts forward, ramming into the side of the tank hard enough that the impact sends a short vibration through _their_ tank. Cindy drags him back, clearly alarmed; Prompto follows with next to no resistance, his attention far more focused on the wall than anything his sister might be doing or saying at the moment.

As the bubbles finally begin to clear, Prompto feels his heart starting to sink and tries to pull Cindy a bit further back with him. It doesn't quite work and he just presses himself closer instead.

Even with the bubbles gone, the heavy breathing begins to fog the tank wall as the large fish—and Prompto _hates_ even considering the thing to be a fish—begins to prowl, back and forth, clearly trying to figure out how to get to them. A thing of nightmares, fodder used to keep young Leviaens in line and well-behaved; a Trench Sleeper, older Leviaens called it. The thing's eyes are easily bigger than the human half of either his or even Cindy's body and nearly their full length, combined, in width, glowing a dark red and appearing extremely agitated. Thick, dark grey scales are scarred, missing in some places and sticking out in others to make a jagged armour around an already rock-hard body. Most of the jagged scales are around the general area of it's neck, likely protecting its gills; the scales smooth out further down the long body. Significantly longer than an eel, but not quite so long as the kraken's limbs. Probably. Prompto's only see the thing sleeping at the bottom of the trench, so it wasn't quite so easy to imagine how long the tentacles were; but, if he had to guess… considerably longer than this thing.

The flesh beneath the scales is tender, supposedly; but no one's ever gotten enough scales pulled away to actually make a difference. Honestly, Prompto isn't even sure how anyone's survived an encounter with it. Three sets of pectoral fins, that Prompto can see, spread out relatively well-spaced along the Sleeper's upper body; offering lazy strokes as it regards them. The fins are easily as long as Cindy, and wide enough that Prompto and both of his siblings could lie against them and still have room on either side of them. There are mild tears in the fins, but they don't seem to hinder the thing's movements any.

A lot of things start to hit Prompto as he's taking in the appearance of the fish. Primarily, curiosity as to how in Leviathan's name anyone even managed to capture this thing, followed very closely by _why_ anyone would want to capture it. That, inevitably leads to even more questions as to how there could ever be stories about this thing in communes; he always thought the Trench Sleepers were just tales, that elders told, to scare kids into behaving. But, what he's looking at is almost a word-for-word embodiment of the nightmare fodder they were told, which meant the stories were _real_ and _someone_ had survived an encounter with this thing to spread warnings about it. Was there really more than one? Adults in the commune always made it sound like there were schools of these things, same as any smaller fish; but, Prompto can't actually imagine there being more than one of these things. Just behind those wonders is the realisation they still have no idea where Loqi is and, with that, the realisation that this very may well be what they intend to have him fight.

As the Sleeper turns away, the relief is remarkably short lived as they both realise that the thing is only making distance to prepare a charge. Cindy looks around them, making a short, agitated noise as she does. "No environment, no idea how big this thing is. They don't _honestly_ expect Lo to fight that thing, do they?"

While it's at least some kind of reassurance they had the same idea, it also sounds a lot worse to hear that aloud than he thought it would be. Prompto squirms a little, watching as the giant fish revs itself before ramming the tank again. It's not _as_ startling this time, but still enough to make him jump when the impact vibrates into their tank.There is at least a little bit of worry when the impact is accompanied by a small, almost inaudible noise beneath the growling. A noise Prompto can't readily place, but one that makes him massively uncomfortable. Like listening to the rickety old boats on the surface, creaking from a distance, but squeakier. Unsettling. He glances up at Cindy, trying to distract her even a little bit from the fact they don't really have anywhere to hide from the thing, but also realising this is probably going to make it worse.

"It… it can't break through the tank. R-right, Cin?"

The thin attempt at a smile says more than anything, even when she does finally offer a short, "Let's hope not… be kind of pointless if it could. Said they seemed put off by Lo destroyin' their stuff, yeah? We wouldn't be much more than a kelp snack to somethin' that size, so they hopefully don't want us _dead_ and whatever the tanks are made of…"

She trails off a bit, apparently realising how dismal the situation is along with what she's saying. They weren't expecting Loqi to be able to damage their cranes; they weren't expecting Cindy to be able to scramble their systems, which Prompto still doesn't understand, but has stopped trying to figure out. The only thing they had _expected_ was that one of them—that Prompto—could use magic. 

On the other hand, they managed to catch the Sleeper in the first place; so, they had to know how violent it was and have an idea of how strong it was. Even if it managed to break through its tank, it shouldn't be able to break _into_ theirs, given how many times it's rammed into its own tank. Sound as the logic may be, it doesn't help calm him down any when the fish rams into the tank again and then again. Especially when he sees the tiny cracks starting to appear on the other tank with a fourth bash.

As the Sleeper revs up from an even further distance for a fifth bash, a smaller jet of bubbles rams into its side. Not enough to throw the enormous fish, but hard enough to draw it's attention. Or, more accurately, its scales being pulled at is enough to draw its attention.

When the first scale falls away, the fish simply looks bewildered—and that, in and of itself, is an odd thing to realise—but as more scales are torn away, the deep body growling begins to turn into vibrations of warning. Not quite a roar, but a steady pulse that's like a baritone sonar, trying to find whatever is pulling its armour away. Prompto lets himself hope, even as Cindy cautiously pushes him further behind her. The fish isn't trying to ram the tank anymore; but the steady vibrations shake the cracks in the tank and make them spread. 

It isn't until one of the scales gets torn from around the neck of the Sleeper that Prompto finally lets himself feel true relief. The other scales had all been torn from the underbelly and around the fins—places they couldn't see the person responsible. But, Loqi comes into view, finally, when he darts up from beneath the fish, digging his claws into the base of one of the jagged scales around the fish's neck to tear it loose. Five more scales fall loose, either carefully spaced out or making a pattern among other missing scales, Prompto can't tell, but Loqi keeps moving. As he moves to the sixth scale, he doesn't allow it to fall away; instead, he turns the pointed bit upwards and jams it into the spot he just tore it from. The scale only digs in about half its length, either because the body is harder than it looks or because Loqi can't get a decent grip to push further; whichever is true, the improvised weapon is clearly deep enough to hurt as the Sleeper releases a much stronger vibration. Pained. Angry. Vindictive, as it finally turns its full attention to Loqi.

For how big the fish is, it's fast; even with Loqi darting away as soon as the attention is on him, he ends up swatted into the tank wall, right into the cracks. Hard enough that his breath leaves his body and Prompto can see blood starting to seep out in a slow, but steady stream, from between his scales. 

Before he can even _try_ to react, Cindy turns, moving around him and covering his ears firmly before she lets out a short, sharp wave of sonar of her own. Loqi curls into a ball, his hands tight over his ears at the first sign of the sonar blast; but, he doesn't stay stationary for very long. His attention is still hyper focused on the Sleeper, watching it writhe and try to correct itself. Loqi uncurls slowly, but doesn't move far from his spot. Just watches the fish closely, either assessing it or trying to find a way around it. He glances back over his shoulder for a brief second, then back at the fish, then back towards Cindy again, and finally looking over the wall he's pressed against. Not flush against it, but close enough to hold himself up a bit without sustaining further injuries.

As the fish is recovering, Prompto can see the tension shoot through Loqi's body, watches as his brother releases a slow breath and, without turning to look at them, finally speaks up. 

"Cin… can you do another wave?" 

"I—I think so, but—" 

Before Cindy can finish the unsteady response, the Sleeper has recovered and set its sight on Loqi once more. With hardly any warning, it charges again, jaws open wide to reveal the rows of pointed teeth. Loqi swims up at the same moment, with a single command of, "Now!" 

Prompto isn't sure how Cindy reacts as fast as she does because he just _barely_ has time to cover his ears again when his sister lets out the second short scream. Once more, it's enough to discombobulate the fish and, in its confusion, it crashes into the tank wall—already weak from the repeated hits and the steady vibrations from the rumbling warnings and Cindy's first scream—and finally breaks through. Instinctively, Cindy and Prompto both swim back a few paces, startled, though it isn't necessary. As water rushes from the tank, Loqi dives down, throwing his entire weight and using the force of the escaping water to help him push the Sleeper down on the jagged edges of the tank. The tank cracks further under the pressure; but, soon enough, the cracks stop and the tank successfully impales the giant fish. 

For a few long, agonising moments, there's tense silence. A few long minutes where the fish still writhes like it's trying to wiggle itself free before the shock finally sets in and it goes still. Blood runs down the tank but is mostly washed away by the draining water, until it's finally below the opening and only spilling out in small leaks. Loqi's still on top of the fish, breathing heavily, and clearly uncertain whether the thing is dead, before he finally just collapses, clearly struggling with his own injuries and, in that moment, Prompto realises how awkward the fight must have been for him. To have been thrown into a fight so suddenly when he's been in a suspended position for _days_ now. And, with that realisation, he also finally realises that he and Cindy have no way to check on Loqi. 

Even with the large opening in the other tank, there's no real way to cross into it from theirs. Cindy hesitates, likely wondering if another sonar wave will shatter their tank the same way Loqi's tank is shattered. If it'll make it possible for them to jump over to the other tank. Probably not; there's no cracks in their tank and, so far as either of them can tell, no real way for them to replicate the force it took _to_ shatter the other tank. 

Loqi's barely moving, shoulders heaving with the effort to breathe where he's spawled over the fish's corpse. A few minutes longer and he finally pushes up and away from the corpse, his arms shaking with the effort, and just lets his body fall back into the water. Even then, it looks like he's barely holding himself up, one hand still clutching one of the Sleeper's fins in some vain attempt to keep himself upright. 

"Cin, Prom… you two okay?" 

"We're fine, Lo." Cindy presses up to the tank wall, frowning and looking at the other tank in an assessing manner. "Worry about yerself, darlin'." 

Prompto wiggles around her—getting between her and the wall—so he can see Loqi better, full body pressed up against the tank and trying to check his brother for wounds. A few bruises scattered all over his body—large, but not necessarily life threatening; a few bloody spots where he hit the wall and cracks in the tank. So, the only thing Prompto's really getting from this is that tanks become pointy when they break. Even if any of them managed to break out of _their_ tanks, they'd likely end up getting hurt by the jagged edges left behind. Hurt, if they're lucky, anyways; and if they're _unlucky_ … they end up like the fish. He frowns a little, slowly turning his attention back to Loqi and making a short, distressed keening noise. "They're going to heal you… right?"

Loqi tilts his head a little, like he hasn't really considered that far ahead, before he shrugs one shoulder in a tired motion. "Likely. I heard them talking before they dropped me in the tank. They're—I don't know what they're doing. But they need all three of us. If things had gotten any worse, I _think_ they would have intervened. There're cranes up there, likely waiting to pick us up, right now. Might be best if we don't give a run around today." 

He makes a dismissive gesture and, when Prompto looks up at Cindy, he notices that her expression is leveling out from a warning to agreement. Prompto blinks and looks between them a few times, ears giving a tiny twitch when he hears the telltale sign of the cranes moving. "So… don't run?"

"No. Not today. Not until we have more information." Loqi's looking up , following the descent of the crane over his tank and slowly loosening his hold on the Sleeper and preparing to meet the crane a bit away. "Later. We can talk in the lab, there's… a lot of weird shit going on here."

Prompto blinks after him, looking up at Cindy as she starts leading him to where the crane is lowering into their tank. "What's a lab? Is that the room we were in before?"

"Prob'ly." Cindy offers him a smile. A short-lived smile as she realises there's two cranes. "Well… guess we should've seen this part comin'. It's gonna be okay, though. A'right? I'll see you up top."

Far against his will, Prompto lets Cindy pry him loose and cautiously swims towards the crane next to Cindy's. As soon as they're close enough, the digits of the crane close, the same way they had for Loqi the first night, and begin forming the bubble. Curiously, Prompto reaches out, placing a hand against the bubble and poking it a few times for his own answers. It feels different from the tank, but not drastically. Still solid, still cold; but, when he puts pressure against the wall, it feels much heavier. Thicker. Harder to break. Not as thick as the tanks they were just in; but definitely thicker than their individual tanks. Loqi couldn't put a dent in the bubble the night they were captured; but he'd still been heavily restrained in his own tank. Meaning it was probably thin enough that he could probably break out pretty easily. Cindy could, if she wasn't masked. It explains the heavier restraints on his siblings.

Cindy seems to be assessing the same, both hands feeling along the bubble as it pulls them upwards. Prompto settles and watches below them as the cranes pull them out of the water, watches the water slide down around them. He can't really gauge how high up they are or how deep the tank was. Next time they get dropped in, they can probably figure it out. If any of them remember. 

His attention is soon drawn to their individual tanks and he tilts his head at them. The tanks open outwards, like a clam opening and he just blinks a few times. That makes them a little easier to understand. Just clams… clams that heal them. With weird, probably human engineered water. That was easier to wrap his head around, at least. The cranes stop over the open tanks and lower until the bubble touches the tank; a small hole opens in the bottom, draining the water from the larger tank into the individual ones. Remembering the whiplash of change from gills to lungs to gills from earlier makes Prompto press to the bottom of the bubble, hoping rather desperately that _that_ doesn't happen again. It had been uncomfortable and he's pretty sure their bodies aren't supposed to undergo the changes that quickly. 

Luckily, once the bubble is about half empty, the hole opens wider and wider until the bubble no longer exists and Prompto falls, rather easily, into the relatively full tank. Before he can situate himself or try to peek out to find Cindy, the top of the tank closes and water begins pouring in from the top. The monotonous voice fills the tank, but Prompto doesn't pay her any mind in favour of pressing up against the front of his tank, trying to see out to locate either of his siblings or even any of the humans. He doesn't see any of the humans, but can kind of see Cindy pressed up against her tank, as well. That's at least some sort of reassurance.

A remarkably short-lived reassurance as the humans finally appear, about the same time the tanks stop filling with water, and start moving them in separate directions. A short sense of panic fills Prompto as he tries to twist around find a way to watch the way they take Cindy; he can hear her protesting, but even that's getting further and further away. As her voice fades to nothing, Prompto settles down in his tank, panic slowly starting to build up. In some desperate attempt to stay calm, he presses down against the back of the tank, tail starting to coil close to his body as he pulls deep breaths and tries to remember what Loqi told him the last time his magic acted up. It doesn't feel like it's building up; but, the last thing he needs is for it to start acting up _now_ , not when Cindy's being taken somewhere, not when he doesn't know what condition Loqi's in, not when they don't know what's going on. Loqi sounded like he had some idea of what was going on—nothing concrete, but more than they had before. Better than nothing.

The trip back to the old room—lab? Is that what Loqi called it? If this _is_ what Loqi was talking about, the trip back to the lab is considerably shorter. At least, it feels shorter, as Prompto isn't glued to his tank, trying to take everything in. As soon as his tank is still, he presses up to the front again, looking around curiously. Back where he started. Cindy's tank is still missing; but, moments later, three more humans come in with Loqi's tank. He can't see his brother but he can hear the thrashing and swearing that signifies his brother struggling against his restraints.

Besithia comes in with him, attention rather solely on the clipboard against his arm and showing no sign of being phased by the swearing. "Not quite the most optimal results, but you did succeed. Room to improve, but… sufficient. Wonderful, Twelve."

"If it's _sufficient_ ," Loqi seethes, giving another violent jerk against his restraints, " _These_ shouldn't be necessary!"

The exhaustion from the larger tank—the arena, Prompto's finally realised—seems to have evaporated the second he hit the tank. Either the water is healing him or he's just agitated being restrained after 'succeeding'. Prompto jumps when the other tank resounds with a solid ' _thump_ ' that makes the entire thing shake. Besithia glares up at him over the top of his clipboard. 

"I think you've made the point rather well, yourself. I told you before—I will not risk any of you escaping, you least of all."

"You already threatened my brother. I'm not going to escape. I did what you asked, didn't I? And you still have all three of us." Loqi bares his fangs with a low growl; but, slowly, he calms down until his claws retract until his fangs slowly fade and smooth back out into normal teeth. He lets out a slow breath, pulling his tone under control in the process. "I won't fight. My arms are sore. … Please, loosen this just a little."

For a long moment, there's silence. Besithia looks impressed; this is probably the first time Loqi's spoken with a civil tone since they woke up. Prompto would probably be more interested in that if he weren't still back on the first part. Of course there were threats against them. Loqi made it pretty clear the first day that Prompto was a priority; whenever anyone came too close, Loqi became hostile. That hasn't changed. It's high likely they're giving Cindy the same threats; cooperate or Loqi and Prompto suffer for it. More likely Prompto; whether he likes it or not, between the three of them, Prompto is the easiest to threaten. 

He frowns a little, pressing closer to his tank to try seeing his brother better. Exhaustion still shows heavily and his arms are pulled back into the cramped suspension from before. He's been in that position for days and was just dropped into a tank to fight something that could use any of them as a palette cleanser and not be phased. Sore is probably an understatement. He hadn't even fought the thing on his own—he had to let it destroy the tank, had to let it impale itself on the shattered glass; and that was all _after_ tearing at the thing's armour. Wounds on its body hadn't done anything; even using its own scales as weapons against it had been insufficient. He tried. He used what was at his disposal. He succeeded, but apparently not the way they wanted him to. Was the suspension meant to be punishment? They couldn't actually be worried about him escaping, could they?

Prompto squirms a little, pulling a slow breath before he tries his own luck. "Dr. Besithia, sir? W-wouldn't… uhm… wouldn't it be better if Lo—er… T-twelve—?" he throws his brother an apologetic look. Loqi wrinkles his nose in distaste but bites down the argument and lets Prompto continue. "Wouldn't it be better if Twelve had a chance to really recover for a fight? T-the tanks are really cramped as is a-and… it heals us, yeah; but, if he's going to be fighting, isn't that suspension bad for him?"

It's hard not to shrink under the look when it's turned his way; but, he manages and lets out a relieved breath when the man finally gives a vague nod.

"I suppose you aren't incorrect. That makes today's data rather incomplete, albeit that much more interesting." Besithia's attention drifts back over to Loqi before he raises a hand, singling one of his assistants at the computer. Whatever they type in, it releases Loqi's arms and he almost immediately sinks towards the bottom of his tank without the support holding him up. "We did not account for exhaustion and stiff limbs. An oversight that will be corrected in the future. Thank you, Sixteen."

That's really not something Prompto wants gratitude for and, from the looks of it, Besithia doesn't particularly enjoy saying the words himself. Still, any small victory is relevant; so, Prompto just gives a vague nod, a quiet ' _thank you_ ' in return, and tries to crane his neck a bit more to check on his brother. It doesn’t work too well, as Loqi's below the clear bit of the tank and likely assessing his own injuries or just trying to find the will and strength to raise back up to where he can see what's happening. Whichever, Prompto lets it go after a bit longer. Not quite willingly, but he knows he doesn't have a choice in the matter. There's nothing more he can do for the time being.

After a stretch of silence—well, save the scratch of pen on paper and clack of someone typing at the computers—Prompto finally turns his attention back to Besithia with a trepid curiosity. "Where's our sist—er. Three? They took her away after—"

The look this time is much harsher and Prompto realises he's overstepped the acceptable line for questions and quickly apologises before going quiet and letting the man work. He doesn't get another chance to ask before the humans leave and just tries to crane and look over at Loqi's tank again.

"Lo? Are you okay?"

Probably not the _best_ question to ask; he clearly isn't _physically_ okay, but... honestly, Prompto isn't sure what answer he's looking for. He isn't even expecting Loqi to answer; but, sure enough, a tired exhale fills the air a moment after he considers apologising again.

"Just tired, Prom… sore. Better, not being held up like that. Thanks, baby brother."

Prompto manages a small smile and slowly lowers himself to the bottom of his own tank, pulling his tail close to coil around his body in a secure wrap. It's about the only security he has left and he's resorted to it more times than he's really comfortable admitting to over the past few days. As much as he'd prefer the secure reassurance of being with his siblings, he knows this is the best they're going to have for now. While he's down there, though, his thoughts start wondering. He should probably wait until Cindy's back, but…

"Hey, Lo?" He waits for an affirmative answer; a sleep affirmative, but acknowledgment nonetheless. "You said you have an idea of what they're doing… is it—we're… we're gonna be okay, right?"

It probably says a lot that Prompto isn't more terrified of the silence that follows. That he doesn't immediately begin to feel a well of panic bubble in his chest when Loqi doesn't offer an immediate answer. Instead, he just feels a sinking, sickening realisation that there's a very real chance things _aren't_ going to be okay and pulls his tail closer to his body until he can pull the tip up to hug it, face buried against the fins.

"It's not an idea so much as speculation; but, I promise… none of us are expendable." 

When Loqi finally answers, his voice is heavy with exhaustion. Strained and slurred, like he's fighting the urge to just curl up fall asleep. Prompto understands that, to some degree; even though he's slept the past few days, it can't have been a comfortable sleep. Promptot hadn't been able to sleep in his restraints and, even though Loqi's had been considerably more supportive, it probably wasn't comfortable. So not only had he fought sore and stiff, he'd also probably been running on pure adrenaline as opposed to any sort of alertness he _needed_ in a fight. 

Still, the answer is enough to make Prompto lift his head and swallow the misery for a few minutes. "Being not expendable means… means none of us are gonna die, right?"

"Yeah… it's… it's probably going to be a lot like today was. But, none of us are going to die. Okay?" There's a short pause. Hesitation fills his brother's voice when it returns. "Most of their interest is going to be in me and Cin for a while, but we're going to be okay… alright? So… so I need you to just go with what they say. Don't fuss if they take one of us out of the lab and if they ask anything, try to answer, like you've been doing. Maybe… maybe they can get whatever data they want from us and this'll go by faster. We'll figure it out when they bring Cin back, okay?"

That sounds terrifying. More than anything else that's happened, the fact Loqi's suggesting they go with anything the humans say is almost more terrifying than everything else that's happened today. Still, Prompto gives a short nod, before realising his brother can't see him and pulls a slow breath to answer.

"Okay…"

He doesn't have to enjoy it. But, so long as none of them were in immediate danger of dying or being killed for no reason… it's better than nothing, for the moment. All he can really do is hope that Loqi and Cindy figure something out before 'expendable' becomes an issue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 4 is actually two parts and I am ashamed of myself for this because it was edging towards becoming a 20k chapter and I panicked and went: "n o PE, ABORT, SPLIT CHAPTER"  
> So my important question for everyone: **How long is too long for a chapter?** I think it's... kind of obvious I err towards long chapters. However, I've gotten severe backlash for this before; not here, no, but I want to make sure things remain manageable for readers. I am enjoying writing this, but I also want to make sure people continue to enjoy reading it, as well.
> 
> Uhm... That said, the plot continues /o/ And I am Very Pleased to inform everyone that we are Very Close to Happy Things. JUST SO EVERYONE IS AWARE I'M NOT A COMPLETELY TERRIBLE PERSON. We are getting very close to children being happier. 
> 
> Okay, that was all ;u; Thank you for reading and I'm really sorry, again, for missing the update last week *wiggles away*


	5. Struggle [II]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patterns can be found; but, just as easily, patterns can be broken.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Content Warning for Chapter** Mildly graphic violence towards the middle and end.

With Cindy awake, Loqi starts keeping a tally of the days as best he can. They don't have any real indication of time passing, past their prior methods: the doctors and scientists show up twice a day—once in the morning, once at night, so far as they can tell—and Ardyn shows up a long while after the night visit. 

Cindy goes missing more often than naught, whereas Loqi goes days at a time without being taken out of the labs. Normally, he's just assessed from his own tank, annoyance evident as the humans work away at the computers and the little panel of buttons on the side of his tank. Prompto still doesn't quite understand what the buttons do, but he knows they make the monotonous voice sound above them and say things he can't keep up with.

Prompto's not sure if his brother's been keeping track from day one, but he hears the scientists talking about the tally marks on the side of his tank. One of the few times they move all three of them, Prompto manages to look into Loqi's tank and sees the small scritch marks. Some of the lines are circled and, if he's keeping up with the days properly, the circled "days" are the days Loqi goes missing. Cindy's days are marked separately with a small "x" above the tally in question. Another part of his tank has correlations to when all of them are moved or when only him and Cindy get moved; intervals of five. Cindy gets taken…somewhere, every other day. Loqi every third day. All of them every fifth day, always to the big tanks, always separated; Cindy and Prompto in one tank, Loqi in the other.

Sometimes the days overlap—sometimes Cindy and Loqi are both missing; or, if their day falls on a fifth day, they stay missing a little bit longer after the humans retrieve them from the big tanks. By the time the pattern emerges, it's been a full two months. 

Two months of confinement in the most minimal of comfortable spaces, only allowed to fully stretch when they were all taken out. Prompto isn't sure where his siblings are when they're taken, but they always come back looking massively uncomfortable and neither of them can actually explain what's happening. Can't or don't want to, Prompto isn't really sure; he suspects the latter, whenever he sees his siblings exchange worried looks when they're returned. 

About three weeks after the Trench Sleeper incident, the scientists finally stop testing Loqi's speed and strength. He explains that much: during the first three weeks, they have weird obstacle courses for him to swim through, with human-made things to fight; things similar to the cranes that captured them, but smaller. After the three week mark, they start making him shift back and forth between human and aquatic forms. That isn't too abnormal, until they have his brother change and bring his tank back, with Loqi still in his human form, still hooked up to various restraints, with the strange addition of a bubble-like mask over his face that does nothing to hide his discomfort. 

He manages to hold the human form for the entire three days until the humans came back before he finally gives up and changes back, clearly exhausted from holding the form. Which, as Prompto thinks further on it, is odd in and of itself. 

Shifting doesn't hurt, according to his siblings. 

There are stories of some Leviaens residing entirely on land and only returning to the sea maybe twice a year as communal-specific festivals called for it. Some only returned once a year, to pay respects to Leviathan, before returning to the land. Ardyn, so far as any of them know, resides entirely on land. At least, none of them have seen his Leviaen form, even after two months. If Loqi's right and Prompto's actually remembering things correctly, there's an entire nation comprised of Leviaens that resided on land. The nation Ardyn had mentioned the first night Prompto was awake—Tenebrae? Is that what he'd said?

With all of that evidence, Loqi should have been able to hold the form longer. Maybe it just took practice? They didn't go on land often and, lately, they've been so cramped that it probably wasn't comfortable. Or maybe it was harder to hold the human form in water? Prompto still doesn't understand how shifting works and, as much as he wants to ask, Loqi doesn't look like he wants to talk about it and this… probably isn't the best place to ask about things like that.

Cindy admits, after Loqi's brought back from _that_ particular trip—finally back in his Leviaen form, curled up at the bottom of his tank, and fast asleep—they had her shift as well. They hadn't made her maintain the form nearly as long as Loqi, but long enough to assess how well her vocal control extended to her human form and study any internal changes while she was a human. Which made… a little sense, maybe. Prompto can't imagine their internal structure changes too drastically when they shift but there had to be something that triggered when they did, since their bodies made the shift so easily—according to his siblings—and, if nothing else, their bodies knew to switch between gills and lungs and that their legs required independent motor functions completely separate from how their tails worked.

Prompto still isn't positive of that, either—he's kind of figured out that the machines monitor their health on a rather large scale; can monitor their heart rate just as easily as any external injuries—but he still doesn't understand it. Ardyn, for whatever his word may or may not be worth, has made multiple passing mentions about the humans scanning their genetic structures and monitoring how _that_ pertains to their ability to shift, just as much as their personalised adaptabilities.

It could, honestly, be something just as simple as studying the genetic makeup of Leviaens, but it couldn't be _just_ that. If Ardyn was a Leviaen he could easily provide all of this information without testing on any of them. They wouldn't even need to test on Ardyn, probably; so far as Prompto's witnessed, the man is an endless fountain of knowledge. He had thoroughly walked Loqi through holding his human form, for the three days he managed, giving him idle tips to keep his body from trying to breathe through his gills, even though he was submerged; tips to keep his body from instigating the change in water. Weirder still was that Ardyn could summon his claws and fangs in his human form; something he promised to share with Loqi if he managed to hold the human form for an entire week. 

Loqi hasn't tried again since the first attempt, either still too tired or not willing to trust Ardyn's word.

Cindy's given a similar promise, when it becomes apparent Loqi isn't going to play along. If she can hold her human form for an entire week, Ardyn will teach her how to use her sonar more efficiently above water and, more importantly, in her human form. But, she doesn't take the bait, either, and only maintains her human form when given incentive by the doctors.

The incentive has to be a lie—if Cindy could use her sonar above water, the humans would never remove her mask. What's more is that it can't actually be possible that Ardyn has that knowledge on a personal level, can he? They still aren't sure what his adaptabilities are; but the way he talks, he has rather intimate insight to _most_ skills. Fighters. Witches. Sirens. And… maybe even Prompto's abilities. He doesn't talk about the magic often; but, some small part of Prompto is constantly hoping the man might know something about it.

Unfortunately, whenever he actually works up the nerve to try asking, it's either as Ardyn's leaving or when the scientist humans enter the room, always oddly surprised to see Ardyn conversing with the three of them. 

Their reactions would be easier to try assessing if the threats weren't constantly hanging over their heads. The knowledge that if any of them choose not to comply, the others suffer for it. There haven't been any outright threats that Prompto's heard; but, it's still there. Lingering. Always lingering. Loqi's words about Prompto having been threatened. The tension that shoots through Cindy's body whenever any of the scientists show either of her brothers favour for longer than a few minutes at a time. Even Prompto feels a sense of dread when he's asked to do something, uncertain if failure to comply will result in one of his siblings being hurt worse than they already are.

After the first month, the humans separate all three of them. 

It's not uncommon, necessarily; just strange, since this _should_ be a day they're dropped into the tank; but, Prompto's memorised the path to the tanks and the humans take him down a completely new one. He's still not sure where he is—another room that looks like their lab, but a lot less white and a lot less blinding lights—but he's been taken out of his tank and laid out on a slab of the shiny gray material—metal. A metal table that has just as many restraints as his tank—no. More restraints. A lot more, but not something he can really process too well, at first. 

His body struggles to make the change to lungs and _sustain_ the change after weeks of only surfacing whenever he's dropped into the large tank. It hurts, but not nearly as much as the straps down his right arm. His left arm isn't nearly as heavily restrained—a strap across his bicep and one over his wrist. His right arm has four straps at carefully spaced intervals and, instead of securing his wrist, a fifth across the back of his hand so he can't really move his hand. He can wiggle his fingers a little, but that's about it. A large band across his chest and just above his hips keeps his torso still. A rather strangely shaped cushion is placed around his head and keeps him from trying to look around, along with securing a metal bar in his mouth. He doesn't try to bite down on it too hard but it still feels weird and makes him gnaw a little to try relaxing his jaw.

An almost positive note is that the humans remember that part of them always needs to be in the water to maintain their membrane. His tail hangs off of the table he's on, down some sort of container filled with water. Enough water that at least his fins and a few inches of his actual tail are submerged; only _almost_ positive, because he can feel a band around his tail, just above the water and another just before his fins start. He can't move, but… he doesn't worry about drying out, at least, and he's not terribly uncomfortable. The table is a bit cold but not unbearable. 

As he's working on trying to talk around the bar in his mouth—trying to ask what's happening—a sharp pain suddenly shoots up his right arm. Even knowing his arm is completely immobile, his body tries to jerk away on reflex. Not just his arm, even though he can feel his muscles protesting and trying to find a way to move; but, he can feel the rest of his limbs writhing in a vain attempt to alleviate the pain. The most he can manage is curling his fingers against the flat surface of the table, trying desperately to find a grip that doesn't exist. The bar muffles the choked scream, to some extent, and he finally realises it's there to keep him from biting down on himself. His jaw protests when he bites the bar and he can feel his teeth protesting just as much, if not more.

The pain travels across the top of his wrist in a slow, deliberate and precise manner, at timed intervals. At the top of his wrist, down towards his hand, probably an inch. A pause; the first pause, he hopes it's over, only for the pain to return in a slightly wider area just next to the first source of pain. The pattern continues from the outside of his wrist to the inside and, by the end, he's stopped trying to count the intervals and is barely even aware that the pause is a little bit longer than the pattern established. The screaming stopped, his throat sore and protesting, and reduced him to silent sobs. His fingers are still bent from trying to find a grip and he can tell that all of his joints have locked in that position; just trying to straight his fingers out so they're flat against the table again is almost enough pain to distract him from his wrist.

Almost enough. It hurts, but not nearly as much as his wrist hurts.

Before he can fully straighten his hand out, the pain returns, this time in a small section just above the original source of pain, and another scream rips from his throat. This isn't the same precision pain from before; this is searing and heavy—like when Cindy has to hold a kelp wrap to a scrape but _worse_. This isn't his sister telling him that the pain will go away, that the wrap and ointment are to make the injury heal faster. This is something entirely different and he only barely registers a second press, closer to his hand, opposite of the first press.

Most of the pain is numb at this point. He registers it on some subconscious level; but, overall, his nerves in the area seem to be completely fried. He does, at least, register when the pressure leaves, when the restraints on most of his body are removed—all of them except the ones across his hips and tail—and immediately turns and tries to curl in on himself, pulling his right arm close to his body. 

For whatever relief it may be worth, there's no blood, at least. When he finally chances looking, there's small, black marks burned into his arm. Lines and numbers and letters that he can't make out through the blur of tears. What he can make out is various thickness in the lines across his wrist. Across the full width of his wrist. What isn't covered in the black burn is an irritated red, especially around the letters and numbers he finally realises are where the pressure was. 

As much as it feels like a burn, the edges aren't frayed the way Loqi's burn scar is and, when Prompto tentatively touches the tips of his fingers to the mark, it isn't raised. Smooth as the rest of his skin, just painful and sensitive enough to immediately make him retract his left hand. He's not sure when the last three bands come off, but the next thing he knows he's back in his tank, the monotonous voice talking above him, and the sting of the water slowly becoming soothing. He hiccoughs a little as the crying comes to a slow stop and tries to clear the tears before he gets back to the lab. It ends up being irrelevant as, when he arrives, he realises his siblings are in the same condition.

Loqi's eyes are irritated the same as his and he's holding his right arm tight to his chest, even when he presses up against his tank to try checking on Prompto. Cindy's trying to rein her own pain in, but Prompto can still see how puffy her eyes are. The humans didn't put her mask back on, apparently certain she either screamed herself hoarse or not concerned with her attempting sonar with the pain all three of them are evidently in.

It takes a full week, even with the healing properties of their tanks, for any of them to comfortably move their right hands. Prompto heals a little bit faster, being the only one not really taken wherever his siblings go when the humans take them. Then Cindy. Then Loqi. 

After the two months, all three of them are finally dropped in the giant tank together. 

Even other times they're all taken out of the lab, Loqi generally ends up alone in the second tank; sometimes Loqi ends up in the second tank, Prompto alone, and Cindy nowhere to be found. This is the first time they haven't been separated since they first woke up—that alone feels like forever ago—and Loqi _immediately_ pulls the other two into a tight hug. Prompto squirms a little, trapped between both of his siblings, with Cindy hugging nearly as tight as Loqi is; but, he doesn't try to get away and just clings as best he can. Even when they slowly start to loosen their holds to pull away from the hug, Prompto keeps a firm hold on each by a hand. They should probably be using this time to stretch and swim while they can; but… just a few minutes. 

Cindy breaks the silence first, getting straight to the point when she does, despite the hesitation on her face. 

"M'sure we both got plenty of stories to tell, but likely we ain't got long. How many times've they drawn blood from you, Lo?"

Prompto blinks, looking between them for the stretch of silence in confusion. They keep saying that. Everyone keeps saying it. Besithia says it, some of the assistants do. Ardyn has. Loqi has and so has Cindy, though not quite so often as the humans, and there's never any context to any of it. What does that even mean? He wants to ask; but, he just kind of ducks his head and lets his siblings talk, opting instead to listen and see if he can't figure it out on his own.

"Every time they've taken me out of the lab, so… near thirty, I think? Probably a little less? Don't think they took blood that first day, but I _was_ bleeding from the fight, so they might've, I don't know." Loqi's fins give small, anxious flickers. "You?"

"Only twelve, I think… only when it's just me." Cindy pulls her lip between her teeth, looking between her brothers for a long moment before she lowers a bit to be at eye level with Prompto, gently taking his face in her hands. "Prom, I need ya to think real hard for me: those few minutes we're separated? The humans ever do anything weird or say anything about blood?"

Prompto blinks at her, blank expression likely telling just how confused he is. It doesn't take him long to answer—maybe a split second where he's trying to figure out what she's asking—but the answer is a simple, "No?"

"Yer _positive_?"

"Pretty sure they haven't, Cin." Loqi interrupts, making an indicating gesture to the inside of his arm. Prompto blinks, and follows the pointing; a soft frown starts to set on his lips when he does.

Since the fight against the Trench Sleeper, the humans have been a bit more forgiving with the restraints. Loqi's only restrained before he's transported and Cindy's only restraint is her face mask. The mask only stays on in their individual tanks, thankfully; but, it's still often enough that there are tiny bruises on her jawline and beneath her eyes where the mask digs into her skin. If it hurts, she never says as much. There haven't been any other fights—at least none nearly as deadly as that first fight, that Prompto's aware of. He figures it'd be pretty obvious if Loqi had been fighting anything worse than the few times he mentions the cranes or other weird human inventions. The marks on their wrists are finally healed and don't hurt to touch anymore. It doesn't hurt to rotate their wrists or move their hands too much. All of them are mostly injury free. 

Mostly.

Now that Prompto's looking, there are tiny abrasions on the inside of his brother's elbow. Tiny little pinpricks that are still red and clustered together to make a rather nasty looking bruise. His other arm has a matching mark and, when Prompto glances at Cindy, she has a matching one inside her right arm. Her left arm is mark free—for now; hopefully for _ever_ , but… Prompto has a feeling it's only a matter of time. Regardless, the small abrasions look painful and Prompto finally releases his siblings' hands to hug himself, using the gesture to rub the insides of his own arms. Discomfort spreads through him in a slow, steady manner, along with a chill crawling up his spine.

It probably says quite a bit that he doesn't jump when he feels a hand, gently rubbing one of his shoulders, and finally looks up at his brother, wondering if the misery shows as plainly as he feels it. Loqi just offers him a thin attempt of a reassuring smile. 

"It's gonna be okay. Alright? They're focused on me an' Cin right now, and there haven't been anymore weird fights since that first day." 

Confirmation never hurts; no matter how many times Prompto tries to tell himself that, sometimes he still doesn't really believe it. This time, for whatever reason, it makes Prompto frown a little. Besithia always made a big deal about Loqi being a fighter. About him having 'exceptional potential' he hasn't grown into yet. Prompto's glad his brother hasn't been in any other fights like the Sleeper, but it still made something uncomfortable gnaw at the back of his mind. Judging by the fact Loqi doesn't question the silence—that his smile goes just a little bit tighter—he realises it, too. So, instead of thinking too much further on it, Prompto just gives a slow, steady nod and finally stops rubbing his arms, instead looking down at the spot where the marks are on his siblings. Where they might potentially be on him eventually. 

It's hard to imagine the bruises on himself; but, then again… two months ago, he also never would have imagined his brother looking as exhausted as he does or the with as many tiny injuries as he's sustained. 

The humans _did_ heal him after the fight with the Trench Sleeper. But, there's still tiny marks on his back, peeking between scales and showing in a few tears in his ridge. Some of the scales on his back are scratched and broken from where he hit the tank, or maybe that's from the night they were captured, when he was forced to hide in the tiny fissure. Prompto isn't sure and he doesn't want to ask, in case Loqi hasn't noticed the marks yet. 

Cindy's a bit better off. She only has the one bruise inside her arm and the smaller bruises on her face. Even then, those are hard to see with the way her hair makes a slight curtain. Even in the water, the soft curls frame her face and make it hard to see the angry lines along her jaw. The ones on her cheeks peek out sometimes; but, overall, they're fairly easy to overlook. For now. They'll probably get worse the longer she has to wear the mask; but, so far, they aren't _terrible_.

He pulls a slow breath, looking up at his siblings, and takes their hands again, holding as tight as he can. "Is the blood… thing… what Ardyn was talking about? The gen… genetic study… thing?"

Loqi gives an absent nod, pectoral fins starting to give impatient flickers that are a rather telling sign of anxiety for him. "I think so. Just a fancy way of sayin' they're looking for what makes our abilities different. Probably figured that already," his lips quirk up in a tiny smile when Prompto gives an affirmative nod, "but, so far it isn't… terrible. It feels weird, sure; but, it's… not so bad."

Not as bad as the marks on their wrists. Unsaid though it may be, the sentiment hangs between them.

Cindy gives a mild nod of agreement, momentarily worrying her bottom lip between her teeth, before she finally breaks the awkward silence. "Agreed. C'mon, we best stretch while we can… no tellin' how long they're gonna let us stay here or if it's even just us in the tank."

Wariness fills her voice as she looks around. There haven't been any other breaks from the surface since they were dropped in, that Prompto's noticed. Then again, he wasn't particularly paying attention… but, he figures Loqi or Cindy would have noticed if there was. Still, Loqi gives an agreeing nod and gives Prompto's hand a gentle tug to encourage him to swim. A few paces and Prompto finally, tentatively, releases the hold on his siblings to swim a bit ahead of them to try stretching out. Barely seconds later, he sees Loqi dart above him, easily swimming tiny circles around him and Cindy. 

That, more than anything and despite the fact he kind of smiles, just serves to makes Prompto realise how cramped his brother's been; and, a few minutes later, Cindy's turning small flips and circles that interweave with Loqi's path, as well. For the first time since they woke up, Prompto realises that the tanks are exceptionally worse for his siblings. 

Prompto's smaller—the tank is cramped, sure, but he has a little bit more room for the time being. Loqi doesn't quite have Cindy's height, but his ridge doesn't fold nearly as neatly or easily as Cindy's flourish; likewise, Cindy _can_ pull her flourish to herself, but there's a _lot_ of it. Her tail is longer than either of the brothers, too, so she already has less room than them. Loqi's still growing and steadily catching up—Prompto realises his brother has grown a few inches since he saw him last—and that's probably not making the confinement anymore comfortable. Worse, still—maybe _the_ worst—is that Loqi's the only one with the more rigid fin structure. Prompto's always realised that his spines are rigid; but, as he's watching Loqi swim, he realises his brother's trying to stretch the spines out and finally remembers that Loqi's the only one that has the giant band around his torso. A giant band that constantly folds his ridge and spines down.

Prompto startles out of his thoughts rather suddenly when a flourish of gold enters his field of vision, a bit closer than he's expecting, and he finally realises he nearly swam into his sister. Cindy doesn't look bothered; she just turns a quick u-bend to change directions, so she's facing Prompto, and offers a small smile. "Y'back with us, Sparkles?"

"Uh…? Yes?" It takes Prompto a few seconds to realise she's asking if he's actually listening to the conversation again; as soon as he does, he gives a quick, kind of embarrassed nod. "M'listenin'."

It's more of a relief than he can really understand, hearing his sister laugh; but, it still helps him relax and smile a little when he feels his hair ruffled.

"Dinnit miss nothin', darlin'. Lo was just tryin' to get your attention." 

Prompto immediately looks around for his brother, quickly locating him about arm's length above them; Loqi soon sinks down to join them, looking a lot more awake than he has in weeks, and leans so one of his arms is resting around Prompto's shoulders, weight comfortably leaning into Prompto's back, while his attention remains on Cindy. 

"Sounded like you had somethin' you wanted to tell us earlier. Figured Prom should prob'ly hear it, too. So…?"

Cindy blinks, clearly a bit startled; but, just as quickly, the look fades to contemplation. Not quite hesitation, but a bit confused. "Yer not wrong. Might be able to help me figure it out, actually."

Prompto blinks. He's not really sure why he needs to be part of this conversation; but, he doesn't really question it and just waits, patient and quiet. He doesn't have to wait too long before Cindy finally sighs and apparently decides that a straightforward answer is her best bet.

"Y'all mentioned there were s'posedly others, right? Seen plenty of other tanks, but… ain't seen no one. Might've figured out why, but…"

The way she trails off is pretty telling. Prompto feels his fins droop and he looks between his siblings. Loqi doesn't look bothered; if he came to the same conclusion, he doesn't react past a quirked brow. Cindy gives him an annoyed look, but lets it go to continue.

"Y'all positive ya heard the captain that first night?"

"Pretty sure I didn't imagine being that angry." Loqi's tone deadpans; even so, he finally reacts at least somewhat. Enough to straighten up from leaning on Prompto, at least.

"There weren't just _holes_ in their subjects, Lo… there ain't no one else." Cindy looks uncomfortable. "I been in three different labs. Each one of 'em had more tanks like the ones we been trapped in, yeah? But… no signs of anyone else. Had clipboards hangin' from the front—like that one Besithia carries 'round with him. Couldn't make out none of the writing but… looks like they ain't been touched in a long while."

Prompto frowns and squirms around a little. "…But the captain was in the same lab we were… c-couldn't he still—"

"Seven others, though? Said there were eight of 'em left, right?" Cindy's still chewing on her lip. "Other labs ain't got that dark corner like ours does. Said y'all dinnit see him. Just heard'm… and we know they can capture voices."

The reality of the situation—not even a reality, a possibility—slowly sinks in and Prompto just looks up at Loqi, waiting to see if he finally reacts even a little bit to the news. But, Loqi just meets Cindy's eye, evenly, and carries on without missing a beat, without so much as a mild flinch.

"Okay. So, maybe they manipulate voices. So what? To have the voice, he was here at some point and now he isn't. What's your point?"

"Lo, could ya _try_ to at least _pretend_ yer a lil' worried?" Cindy scowls, her hands flexing a few times before she finally lets out an agitated sigh. "Look, regardless how we personally feel about anyone from the old commune, can ya least be worried 'bout why they'd go outta their way to tell y'all that? Don't gotta care about any of 'em. But why make somethin' elaborate 'nough an' give y'all answers—answers we don't even know're _true_ anymore—when they could just tell us straight to our faces? Why the act?"

That, for better or worse, gets Loqi's attention. He still doesn't look too worried about the implications behind the fact the humans have voices from their commune. But, he does look annoyed that Cindy has a point and finally pulls his arms back to himself, crossing them just below his chest as he thinks for a few long minutes before he lets out a slow breath.

"A'right. Let's _pretend_ I care for five minutes. Assuming the voice came from the weird little capture boxes they have, they would've needed to hear him talking enough to manipulate the words into seamless sentences. They have the weird voice in the tank that responds to the tanks being adjusted, right? So… it's possible the voice is just a part of their programming now, I guess. But…"

He falters and Prompto looks down, trying to think back to the first night, trying to remember the exact conversation. It had felt weird, sure; but…

"His voice didn't… sound the same as the tank lady." He doesn't realise he's spoken until he looks back up and finds his siblings staring at him. His tail gives a nervous flick and it takes a lot not to immediately sink to try wrapping himself in his tail; but, he manages and offers a nervous, one-shouldered shrug. "I-I mean… the tank lady… has that weird emphasis when she talks. And when the—y'know, when the humans talk into the small box it has that weird layer. Like…"

He makes a vague gesture, not really sure how to explain himself any further. He knows part of it is the fact they're listening through the tanks and whatever strange water they're submerged in. But, what _exactly_ that difference is, he's not sure. Muffled, sure; but, more than that it's like a layer of steady, low crackling. Like when Loqi used to take him storm watching—listening to the thunder and lightening from just below the surface, only on a smaller scale and much quieter. 

"Like short bursts of lightning hitting the same spot too many times?"

Prompto gives a quick nod, endlessly relieved that Loqi understands the leaps between association that Prompto can't explain. His brother goes quiet again for a long moment before he finally meets Cindy's eye again.

"Think we can rule the box out, at least for the moment. But…" 

He trails off again, his spines extending and relaxing a few times, like he's trying to stretch them. A sign of anxiety. Prompto blinks and watches for a few seconds before looking back towards Cindy. Her expression is set in a thin mask of patience; but, just beneath the calm is an equal sense of anxiety that she's rather clearly trying not to show. 

"Just makes a million new questions. Ain't no other Leviaens… plenty of other humans, though."

That manages to draw Prompto and Loqi's attention both. Prompto just tilts his head in a confused gesture between his siblings. Loqi looks surprised, but… they already knew there were a lot of humans. Why would more humans be worth any worry? They were in a human facility, so that made sense, didn't it? Before he can ask, Cindy's already continued.

"Supposin' you've seen 'em, Lo." Cindy lets out a slow breath, the mask of calm control finally falling when she starts wringing her hands and turning her attention up to the surface for a few seconds, like she's expecting the cranes to drop into the water to return them to solitary confinement. To take Cindy and Loqi… wherever the humans take them when they draw blood. "Bodies pile up a touch too fast here… don't s'pose you've noticed what they need 'em for?"

Oh. Not humans. Human bodies. 

Prompto squirms a little before he finally reaches out to take both Loqi and Cindy by the hand once more, looking for some small sense of security. Cindy gives his hand a gentle squeeze and, after a short moment longer, Loqi does, too. 

As much as that would normally work, this time it just… serves to remind him that things have a very real chance of _not_ being okay.

If Loqi has an answer regarding the bodies, he never gets to voice it. The second he tries—almost _exactly_ the moment he opens his mouth to answer, all three of them perk up at the sound of the water's surface being broken. Loqi straightens up from the relaxed slouch, ears twitching to try sourcing the noise. Prompto can feel the anxious sort of tension shoot through him as he works his hand free to be at the front of the three of them. Or, what they suspect is the front anyways. Cindy apparently agrees, given the way she works her hand free, as well, and falls in line just a few paces behind him, already starting to pull and release deep, steady, and slow breaths in preparation. 

On one hand, they have no idea what was just dropped in the water. If it's an enemy or one of the humans' devices that monitor them. To date, the strangest thing Prompto's seen is the strange metal ball that follows them around, tiny red circle continuously fixed on them like an eye. Ardyn called it a surveillance drone—something the humans had specifically built to monitor them and follow them around in the large tanks. If they're lucky, it's just something like that, again; or… they could be unlucky and it's something they have to fight.

But, on the other hand, the impact hadn't been nearly as jarring as when the Trench Sleeper had been dropped in. Clearer, so the drop was definitely in the tank they're in; but… smaller. Much smaller. Still bigger than the sound any of them make when they're dropped in, but not gigantic. So, manageable. Some small part of Prompto quietly hopes that it's another Leviaen, just so they can quell the arguing and questions for a short spell. Just long enough to determine which of his siblings is right and figure out where to go from there.

The second they finally spot what broke the water, Prompto regrets the wish. Immensely and immediately regrets it, as he shrinks back to give his siblings room for the fight that's coming. 

Cindy freezes up for a short moment, though Prompto isn't quite sure it's from shock or confusion. Probably both, honestly. Loqi, though… Loqi barely pauses for a short moment of confusion before his spines are standing on ends, before his hands flex into claws, before he's baring his fangs in a warning. For the first time in a long time, Prompto sees the scales down his back light up a bright, violent red that lights his ridge up, darker towards his scales—a warning sign, to other Leviaens and enemies alike.

The show is met with a similar glow—an abysmal black, like staring into the depths, that's lined in a haze of dark purple and practically bleeding off of the body. Prompto can't tell if it's tainting the water, but it definitely looks like it; Cindy apparently agrees, because she catches Loqi's arm before he can engage with the first strike. It doesn't stop him from thrashing in retaliation for the restraint; but, it gives him a moment to assess the situation better and for Cindy to find her voice.

"Don't be reckless, Lo… we don't know what that stuff comin' off 'im is."

Loqi lets out a slow breath, eyes narrowed but clearly surveying the sight for some idea of what's happening. He doesn't sound nearly as nonchalant as he did before when he finally answers with, "Guess we were both right."

Not exactly the answer either of them— _any_ of them wanted, honestly. Cindy doesn't look pleased with the answer and even Loqi looks upset by the idea he was _kind of_ right. 

There weren't other Leviaens. There may have been before, but they're long dead and gone by now. 

Whatever they're looking at now may have been the guard captain at some point—Prompto kind of recognises the scars along what's left of his tail, what's left of the human parts of his body—but now… honestly, he's not sure what they're looking at. Bits and pieces and, in some places, chunks of flesh are missing—human flesh and Leviaen flesh, alike—and in their stead is a rather inconsistent blob of… _something_. It looks familiar—the dark ooze that coils around the man's body from the various wounds and orifices. Black and purple, mingling together in a mockery of an aura and blood. 

As visually disturbing as the situation is, the perhaps more alarming part is when Prompto finally realises the man is… bigger than he recalls. That part he might be imagining; it's been two years and Prompto had been considerably smaller and absolutely terrified of the situation as a whole that had been happening. But, he's almost absolutely positive that his memory is correct about the man being rather average sized—not bigger and not smaller than anyone else in the commune. But _now_ … this is definitely different. As much as he'd once towered over the three of them, he's _still_ towering over them. Substantially towering over even his siblings who are nearly at the peak of their physical growth.

Prompto never really gets a chance to ask or comment on the observation before the captain finally moves. The second he does, Loqi wrenches his arm free of Cindy's hold, darting forward to meet the man and keep him as far from where they were as possible. Even when they lock clawed hands in an attempt to push each other back, Loqi seems aware of where the mist and ooze are coming from and is rather blatantly trying to avoid it to the absolute best of his ability. 

The captain's motions are remarkably jerky, like someone's yanking on each section individually—puppets. That's what Loqi calls them, the strange toys they found in a ship once—human shaped, with strings attached to the various limbs and joints. Prompto still has one back in their grotto. As similar as the movements are, and as grateful as he is to have some understanding of what's happening, it's rather drastically unsettling, thinking about anyone trying—and succeeding, at that—to puppeteer another living creature. 

Or… as living as the captain may or may not be at this point. Some of the strange wounds are in places that look like they should be fatal, but the man is definitely moving and—given the way Loqi looks to be struggling to keep him in place—he's definitely still retained something that resembles strength. Well, worse than retained; retained would imply that Loqi should be on an even remotely equal standing as the man. Even when they'd still lived in the commune, Loqi had held his own well against all of the trainers he'd been paired with—everyone he's ever had a "friendly" bout of sparring with, he held steady. 

Right now? Right now he's definitely struggling. Likely because he's focused more on staying away from the weird ooze as much as he possibly can, but… it also doesn't look like the captain's really trying. Like he could push Loqi out of the way quite easily if he wanted to, honestly. 

Before he really registers much else, he hears a short growl to his right and looks over just in time to see Cindy dart forward. Luckily, Loqi notices her, too, and manages to wrench himself out of the guard's hold and get a little distance. Just enough that he can ram back into the older Leviaen at the same time as Cindy, while he's still righting himself, still struggling with his limbs, and manage to send him back a small ways. Still, it's far enough that Cindy can get around Loqi and barely waits for Loqi to cover his ears when she pulls a deep breath and releases a short, shrill blast of sonar. Even knowing it was coming, Loqi recoils from her, clearly resisting the urge to curl into a ball and likely only succeeding because he knows he's still in a fight; Prompto doesn't have that incentive and immediately wraps himself in a single coil with his tail, both hands pressed tight to his ears in some vain attempt to block the noise out.

Cindy's voice is getting stronger. He hadn't noticed before and she hasn't really had a reason to use her voice since the Trench Sleeper; but she's definitely stronger than she was two months ago. Strong enough that Prompto can see the water disrupt around them, can see the waves vibrating against the walls of the tank, can see the _walls_ vibrating with impact. What had taken the force of a nightmare creature before, Cindy can do with her voice, now. He can already see tiny cracks forming in the walls.

The scream dies off, his sister breathing much heavier as her own claws begin to form and she lowers herself in a wary, ready stance. Loqi doesn't exercise the same sense of wariness and immediately darts by her, claws going straight for the guard's neck as the man's struggling to regain a sense of balance.

That should be it. Even from as far back as he is, Prompto can see the blood-like ooze begin to spread from the guard's neck, can see Loqi make a face and immediately start shaking his hand out, like he's trying to get the ooze off of himself. Cindy perks, ready to swim over and check on him, clearly convinced the fight is over as well. 

It should be over. Nothing should be able to survive that and neither of his siblings seem to notice. Prompto barely manages to find his voice before Cindy gets too far.

"Cin—Lo, _move_!"

Loqi's attention snaps back to the guard, a startled swear escaping as he darts upwards, out of range, just barely escaping the spike that ejects from the guard's body. Cindy backs up, clearly alarmed, her flourish flaring out the way it does when she's agitated, when she's startled; a warning sign. For most Leviaens built like Cindy, their fins and flourish flaring out like that is a warning to others that humans are nearby, that traps are being set, that the area needs to be avoided.

This situation isn't much different…. except there is no escape. There's nowhere for them to hide, no way to avoid the area or the situation and they all realise it. 

Prompto backs up a little bit further, doing his absolute best to stay out of his siblings' way and Cindy moves so she's blocking any direct path to him. Loqi finally seems to let the aggression go in favour of trying to analyze the situation even a little bit more than they could before.

He definitely ripped the guard's throat open. That definitely should have been enough, they shouldn't still be preparing for a fight. Protruding from the gaping wound in the man's neck, however, is a rather cragged, rock-like mass that's clearly made from the strange ooze pouring from his body. It still looks liquid-like—thick, like tar—but solid enough, _sharp enough_ that it probably would have hurt if it connected with Loqi. The other blobs of the strange substance on his body begin to pulse and writhe, like they're actually alive. It almost reminds Prompto of a trapped octopus, watching the tentacles writhe as the thing tried to squeeze out of the small avalanche. It's a weird comparison, but that's all he can really focus on for a short moment—the moment he's still trying to work past the fact the man should be _dead_ —before it leaves him altogether.

The very second he starts to come to terms with the fact the man somehow survived, all of the areas infected by the ooze get sucked into his body for a short moment before ejecting in a sudden motion, like watching a pufferfish blow itself up, only much more dangerous. The spikes don't fly off, thankfully; but, they make it obvious it isn't going to be easy to get close again. 

The solid form only lasts for a short few seconds before retracting, one more returning to the slightly calmer writhing masses they started as. There doesn't seem to be much of a difference between the calm writhing and the writhing just before they turn to spikes—a short warning, when they pull into their wounds—and his siblings seem to realise that, as they keep a wary distance, waiting for the guard to make the first move.

Cindy flexes her hands a few times, trying to sharpen her claws, clearly worried that Prompto is the target. Loqi seems to be under the same impression, his posture tense and ready to dive to intervene as necessary.

He ends up having to dart _backwards_ out of the way, clearly surprised, when the guard instead resumes the assault on _him_. He's not quite as lucky this time; even though he manages to dive out of the way, a short hiss of pain escapes and Prompto can see blood streaming near the bottom of his tail. Not a deep mark; but, clearly enough to hurt. Enough to make him writhe for a short moment before he's moving again to stay out of range from another attack. And another. And another.

Steady intervals—two swipes from claws, spikes; two swipes, spikes—and Loqi isn't always far enough away to do much more than minimize the damage. Cindy can't get close enough to help him—too much erratic movement; the spikes are horrendously unpredictable which makes _Loqi's_ path unpredictable—and, even when she tries, she can't draw the attention to herself. Even when she's having to dodge the spikes, as well, the guard's focus is solely on Loqi and Cindy soon falls back, in some vain attempt to stay of his way.

For how big the tanks are—Cindy's followed the walls when they were dropped in before, trying to find some way to measure the area they're allowed to stretch in; they haven't come to an exact measurement, but the tanks are definitely large enough that they haven't actually managed to circle them completely during their allotted time. Regardless, Loqi isn't using that and Prompto isn't sure why. Instead of trying to lead the man away or get some more distance by swimming further into the tank, he's drawing shapeless, looping patterns in a rather confined area around the guard. Prompto's pretty sure there's a reason—there's always a reason for the things Loqi does—but he can't, for the life of him, figure out what _this_ reason is supposed to be. 

Cindy might know. Her expression is pulled into a rather thin-lipped, observational one, her body still tense, still looking for an opening, but unsure how she's going to be able to help. Before Prompto has a chance to try asking her—before he can even think about moving closer to her, just as much for a sense of security as a potential answer—everything goes numb, alarmingly fast. 

It's hard to process too much of what's happening in the moment. One moment he's just worried and trying to ask his sister for any sort of idea as to what's going on. One moment everything is as fine as it can possibly be—not perfect because nothing about any of this is perfect or even really fine, but it's… manageable. 

That's a better term. One moment everything is manageable.

The next—the very second Prompto considers that Loqi's doing even kind of okay—the pattern of the spikes break. Two swipes, spikes. Two swipes, spikes. That's still the same; but, the spikes react much differently than they have been. Instead of maintaining the rigid structure they've been displaying when they shoot out, like the stalactites in the grotto they had been living in, the spikes give a short shudder before _more_ , smaller spikes shoot out independently, writhing like tiny tentacles.

Tiny, sharp, _dangerous_ tentacles that go rigid and expand the second they make contact with Loqi's body—just below his ribs and down into his tail, pulling him in so that more of the tiny spikes hook into him.

Even from where he's still hanging back, Prompto can see Loqi biting down any noise that would come across as pained. He's trying desperately not to writhe, not to make it worse, and both hands are gripping the base of the largest spike, though Prompto isn't sure if he's trying to pull the thing out or just keep it from pushing any further into his side or tail. What he does know is that the smaller spikes are now in his hands.

This time, when Cindy moves to help him get loose, the guard turns on her. He doesn't release Loqi and just sends another spike towards Cindy.

One tiny detail comes across as important and some sort of blessing. The spikes can only go so far and when Cindy moves back to avoid getting caught as well, the spike doesn't retract. It's still writhing, still trying to get to her, but it doesn't get any longer. A small blessing… so much as anything in the situation can be a blessing.

Even though he's registering all of these things as they're happening, Prompto can't find it in him to react. His limbs feel lighter than they should, more than the usual sensation of floating when he's underwater. Light like he should be drawn to the surface, but he can't move.

And then, the light feeling is replaced by tension and panic as a familiar sensation begins to build and settle in his core. Cold, at first, and steadily growing warm. He doesn't even register the temperature at first—he registers the glow of his scales, the way attention is suddenly on him. The way Loqi's expression goes from struggling and pained to surprise and fear in a split second. The way Cindy immediately follows the look, her own expression quickly becoming a mirror of Loqi's. And then… the way the guard's attention is suddenly zeroed in on him.

For the entire fight, the man's attention hasn't been on Prompto at all. His focus has been on Loqi. A little bit on Cindy in the past few minutes—since he'd immobilized Loqi. But now… now it's solely on Prompto, for better or worse. 

He wants to say better. If the focus is on him, his brother and sister should be left alone. But, just as quickly, it's worse again. The spikes in Loqi's body retract in a sharp, jerking motion; enough to finally pry a short cry of pain from his brother as the motion leaves gashes where the smaller spikes were. Worse, as the guard makes a beeline towards Prompto, he doesn't even try to get around Cindy. The black ooze retracts into a singular mass—the new shape kind of reminds Prompto of an eel; maybe a third arm that's easily as big as the man is—and effortlessly throws her out of the way, towards the tank wall. A sickening crack echoes in the area, though Prompto can't quite discern if it's just the wall cracking or any injuries his sister sustains from the impact. 

Leviathan forgive him, he doesn't really care right now. Not the way he should. He definitely registers the panic when Cindy doesn't immediately push off of the wall, doesn't immediately right herself; but, past that? Nothing.

The only thing he registers is the rush of fear, the panic, and the unsteady surge of exhaustion that follows the expulsion of magic. He's not even sure he means to; but, the second he recoils, trying to brace for the worst, he feels the magic leave him. Different than when the electricity left him. Not the same sense of being poked and pricked along his arms. This time it feels… light. He's not sure if it's the situation or the magic itself; but it leaves his arms—his entire body, honestly—feeling even lighter than before. 

A guttural, strangled shriek makes him recoil further, tense and trying to curl into a ball; but, simultaneously, it finally makes him open his eyes. Just a sliver at first, expecting the captain to be right in front of him or… honestly, he's not too sure what he's expecting. But, this definitely isn't it.

After a long moment of trying to process exactly what he's seeing, he finally uncurls himself from the tense ball he'd started to become and blinks, confused and still more than a little horrified. 

The guard is still quite a few feet away—not close enough to reach Prompto and probably just out of range for his spikes to have reached. If he could use them. The mass of ooze that had been surrounding the man, that had been seeping from gaping wounds, from his eyes and his mouth—all of it is frozen solid. Pretty specifically, the areas around the man's neck and gills, where the 'bleeding' had been heaviest is now jagged, purple and black tinted ice that is slowly spreading. It's not as obvious in some places; but, when Prompto looks a little closer, he realises that it's true. The ice is slowly spreading from the gaping wounds, digging into the flesh around it, and likely into the wound itself; the ice on his face is slowly inching into his mouth, over his eyes. With the excessive wounds on his arms, comes excessive ice that renders him incapable of clawing any of the ice away.

Normally, Prompto's pretty sure he'd be seconds from passing out; but, the worst that happens is his vision going blurry for a few seconds before he feels his anxiety spike and swims back a few paces when the guard gives a short, aggravated growl and begins fighting against the ice. He's clearly trying to free himself—or regain any sense of mobility, likely—but the ice keeps him still and continues to slowly encase him rather thoroughly.

In that moment, Prompto's ears give a tiny twitch as a new sound reaches him. Something more comforting than the agitation and writhing just in front of him. Swimming. A very hurried pace that can only belong to either of his siblings; and, when he glances towards Cindy and finds her still struggling to right herself from the impact against the tank wall, that only leaves one possibility.

The very second he considers that Loqi's alright—or… well enough to move—is a split second before Prompto actually _sees_ him. Pain is still evident in his expression; but, more than that is determination when he manages to get behind the guard, snapping one of the larger icicles from the man's back and, before the agonised scream even really escapes, driving the pointed end straight through the man's back so it emerges from his chest.

The force successfully drowns the scream into a gurgling bubble; even so, Loqi has to put his entire body into pushing the icicle all the way through until it finally falls from the large, new cavity in the man's chest. 

For a short second, Prompto feels his stomach give a violent churn, feels the bile burning in the back of his mouth as the anxiety spikes once more. Fear that the new wound will mean more ooze, more of the weird weapons that formed.

What happens is arguably worse.

Not necessarily worse for them, but a hundred times more terrifying and all they can do is look on in horror. Loqi swims backwards as fast as he can, pectoral fins and the spines along his back all standing on ends in alarm as the man begins to _melt_. Slowly, like he's dissolving into the ooze; like he's being eaten alive by it. As he does, the ice dissolves in the same manner, being drawn into the mass of black and purple, until all that's left is the ooze.

The strange ooze doesn't disappear though. Apparently, now that it doesn't have something solid holding it in place, the ooze begins to spread through the water—specifically out towards each of the siblings, like it's trying to find a new host. For a short moment, Prompto can't find it in him to swim and can only stare on, still back on the gut-sinking fear of watching the guard captain dissolve into the mass. He doesn't even register how immediate the danger is, the mass barely an arm's length from him—before he feels his arm grabbed and realises Cindy's dragging him out of the way.

Snapped from the daze, Prompto wiggles free of her grip to swim on his own and Cindy immediately goes to help Loqi instead. He's still bleeding rather profusely and clearly having trouble swimming with the various stabs along his side. A hiss of pain escapes when Cindy wraps an arm around him; but, he doesn't fight and just lets their sister pull him along, following just behind Prompto. Against his better judgment, Prompto chances looking over his shoulder, merely intending to check on his siblings. 

The look ends up being a horrible mistake as he's forced to realise that, without a host, the strange mass doesn't seem to have limitations to how far it can spread. The entire area they were just in is almost entirely tainted purple and black now, and is following them in a slow, albeit steady, wave. How long until the entire tank is full of the weird ooze? _Could_ it fill the entire tank? There wasn't anywhere for them to hide, they couldn't even surface.

His siblings probably could; they haven't tested it yet, but both of them are fairly certain they'd be able to haul themselves on to land if they broke the surface, based on how their individual tanks are always waiting _right there_ whenever they're taken from this tank.

As though summoned by the thoughts, their collective attention is drawn to the familiar sound of the cranes being dropped into the water, just a few feet away and encouraging all of them to swim that much harder. Prompto reaches his first, panting hard, and squirming anxiously as the bubble starts to form. He sees Cindy help Loqi to his before she goes to hers. It feels like the bubbles don't form nearly fast enough; but, they do manage to close just before the ooze reaches them.

Almost worse than being chased, is watching the ooze surround their bubbles. He quickly loses sight of both of his siblings and immediately hunches in on himself, his tail curling and wrapping tight around his body. He doesn't even realise the crane is moving until the ooze starts to slide off the bubble and he blinks, hard, confused and immediately unwraps himself, pressing up to the side of the bubble to watch. 

Whatever that ooze was, it's a lot heavier—a lot denser—than he thought. As it drips off the bubble, back into the water, even the smaller globs—barely as big as his hand curled into a fist—make a rather sizable splash for how close they still are to the water. Which is a weird thing; normally they're immediately returned to their individual tanks. But, as he finally tears his attention from the water below them, he spots his siblings. Loqi looks similarly fascinated by the ooze; even with both hands pressed tight to two larger gashes on his ribs, his attention is solely on watching the ooze dripping from his bubble. Prompto can kind of see him mouthing something to himself, but can't quite make out the words. 

Cindy, on the other hand, has her back up against the top of her bubble, trying to put as much distance between herself and the remaining ooze dripping down her bubble as possible. Her fins are all still flared out in agitation, clearly signaling her still extreme anxiety with the situation, along with the way her hands are still sharpened into claws.

Prompto's apparently the only one not still focused on the ooze and lets his attention drift around what he can see of the room. For how many times they've been brought to the giant tanks, none of them ever really get to look around. They're normally dropped in too fast. Are they stalling because of the ooze? Were they scared of it too? Or… well, with the way it's dripping, it would probably end up in their individual tanks and that would probably be unfortunate. Whatever the reason, Prompto's glad the ooze is almost gone.

For now, now that he has the chance to look around, there really isn't much to see. The room is dark as the first day and he can't even really make out where the walls are. Lights in the distance but he can't tell if they're from a room, like the strange observation rooms they pass in the halls sometimes, or just wall lights. He at least confirms his siblings were right—the tank connects right to the ground; they could easily surface and pull themselves onto land, with there barely being an inch between the water's surface and whatever the floor is. Metal? It looks like metal.The humans seem to really like the shiny grey surfaces—

His thoughts break as the cranes finally move again and he realises the ooze has apparently completely dripped off. They're moved over their tanks and dropped in without further fuss. Prompto lets out a startled yelp, all the same, and hears his siblings echo. The water is _much_ colder than usual and his tail thrashes a little in protest. Around him, he can kind of hear the monotonous voice of the tank, but isn't really listening to her, trying to find a way to generate heat and combat the horrible water. Gradually, the water begins to warm up; it doesn't stop him from writhing, but it does feel a _lot_ better, even if it's only a few degrees warmer.

As unsettling as the logic is, Prompto's never felt safer than he does when he's back in his individual tank; and, now that it's warmer, he finally tries to move. Moves so he can press himself up to the front of his tank—still shaken, still unsteady and exhausted from the surge of magic—and he can tell his siblings are equally unsettled. Cindy's pressed up to the front of her tank, as well, mask already in place and trying to keep an eye on both brothers, though it's difficult with Loqi's tank turned just a bit away from her and opposite of Prompto's. 

Loqi doesn't fight nearly as hard as he normally does when he's put back in his tank, when his restraints come from…wherever they come from. The only good thing Prompto gleans from this is that it's not the full body restraints; just the cuffs around his arms, though that takes the pressure from his side and he immediately starts writhing. His water is already starting to tint a light red and Prompto can only watch as his brother's taken away. A few minutes later, Cindy's taken in a different direction, leaving Prompto alone with the remaining humans and the tank.

When he glances back at the large tank, he realises the water is still stained and muddied in the strange purple and black ooze. Now that he finally has a moment to think it through and really look without worrying about his own safety or either of his siblings, he realises it's the same strange purple and black that the creatures on the beach come out of. What even _is_ that? Was the mist on the beach the same as the ooze in the water? And what did they just see? 

In the relative safety of his tank, Prompto can finally try to piece together his thoughts from before the fight. He knows some Leviaens are bigger than others. Some took on their species size. Well… _supposedly_. He hasn't seen proof of it, himself. But, supposedly there are some Leviaens that are long as the kraken. The captain hadn't been that big, no; but the fact that he was considerably bigger than all three of them was unsettling. Not as big as the Sleeper had been; but, given that the man had once been a rather average-size Leviaen, the fact he was suddenly the same length as an orca, the fact his body had been rather thoroughly made up of the strange purple and black substance, that parts of his body had become more weapon-like… unsettled feels far too weak. And safe feels like an understatement.

Prompto doesn't realise he's been moved until the blinding white of the lab finally hits his eyes and he gives a short hiss, immediately dropping straight to the bottom of his tank, both hands balled into fists to rub at closed eyes. The few seconds it takes him to adjust to the stupidly bright room—gods does he hate this room—feel too long. When he raises up, his siblings are still missing. Wherever the humans take them for the blood drawing thing. Probably. Hopefully.

Something heavy settles in his gut as he considers the words.

What if the humans weren't drawing blood? Cindy and Loqi both seem pretty sure that's what they're doing; but, they were also pretty sure the guard was either dead or irrelevant to anything happening to them at present. Which… not _wrong_ ; but suddenly facing the man, especially in his altered form, was jarring and Prompto can feel the tank trying to work the tension from his muscles. It's a weird feature, but not entirely unwelcome at present. Especially when he considers that Cindy had been pretty battered, too, from what he could see; now he just has to hope that Loqi's okay. 

The last he he'd been able to see and properly register, before the surge of magic, his brother had a number of open wounds all over his body—his chest and arms, especially; nicks and gashes going down his tail and some on his sides. He hadn't gotten too good a look while they were trying to escape from the weird ooze and hadn't been able to see his tank any better. Had any of them hit his gills? Had he absorbed any of the weird ooze in the water? Had Cindy or Prompto inhaled it?

Granted, the ooze hadn't begun to spread until the man… dissolved… but, they'd all been in the water a few seconds longer as the cranes lowered and the guard had appeared to bleed the ooze. Loqi had been in the most immediate danger of absorbing any of it; then, Cindy; and, then Prompto. Forced to keep his distance to stay out of the way as his brother and sister fought, but…

He frowns a little as he considers it. Normally, being the one sectioned off meant things focused more heavily on him. Whenever Cindy and Loqi have pushed him aside before, things still tried to get by them to get to him. This time? He'd been almost entirely and utterly ignored until the magic started building up in him. The first sign of the spark that made his scales light up, the first sign that the magic was present, and the attention was on him. As much as he suspects the sudden panic from realising he was noticed—along with the rest of the situational stress setting in—helped push the magic through faster, it's… not something he's used to.

The bursts and charge time between bouts of magic is getting shorter. 

The first encounter two years ago with the sharks, he hadn't even realised what was happening but he still knows there was some sort of stretch of time between build up and release.

The cranes, he'd actively tried to keep the magic inside. Tried to push it back down, even when he had nothing to lose, with how the situation had been going; but, it still felt shorter. Maybe because of everything that was happening at the time, because he was worried about Cindy getting hit by the magic this time, or maybe he'd just failed to notice any real time passage with the worries.

The third time he managed to pull it under control. The build up felt different, but he also couldn't really clarify if that was because it had been ice magic or because it really was just taking less time to charge the magic. Regardless, he _had_ managed to pull it under control that time. Proved to himself it _was_ possible, even if it took him a while to realise it.

This time? The time between realisation and release had been so short, he's only a little surprised it hadn't just knocked him out the way it had when they were captured. He feels exhausted, sure; but… he stayed conscious. Part of him wants to brush it off as the anxiety but that seems… not quite right. Like it's definitely part of the reason, but not the whole reason.

Before he can think on it too much longer, the telltale hiss of the door opening draws his attention. For the shortest, briefest moment he lets himself hope, desperately hope, it's his siblings. Even just one of them. Hope that's all but dashed, immediately, and he feels his tail starting to coil in anticipation. He doesn't quite retreat down in on himself just yet; but, he feels the tension shoot through his muscles.

Ardyn tilts his head in a vague gesture of a greeting, before taking an ever leisure pace towards the row of desks and computers. The same place he always stands. The same relaxed pose, as always: hip and one hand leaning against the table, while his other arm is angled so he can see the band around his wrist. A watch? Is that what he called it? Prompto's asked before, he knows he has, but he's not quite in the right mind to consider what he has or hasn't learned. Ardyn showing up always means weird information… but _normally_ he only shows up when it's all three of them. In the 'middle of the night'. Had they been in the tank that long? Or was the pattern breaking? 

"Dr. Besithia informs me that you three had a rather unfortunate run-in with my puppet… perhaps you would like to elaborate for me, dear boy?"

Puppet—?

Prompto blinks and, for reasons he's not really sure of, he immediately remembers the strange, jerky motions the guard had exhibited and frowns. So the man probably really hadn't been in control of any of his motions. Not that _that's_ entirely relevant, but it's still something that jumps out at him. Assuming he's even made the right conclusion. He shakes it off, with an effort; just a distracting thought to help him handle everything. Maybe if he answers Ardyn he can get some answers as to what even was happening.

"The… guard captain, you mean? From our commune?"

"Indeed, I do mean him." The hand on the table starts tapping out a short, steady rhythm, one finger after the other: One. Two. Three. Four. Pause. One. Two. Three. Four. Pause. The same pattern Loqi displays when he's irritated, when he's flexing his hands into claws. Prompto only barely manages to tear his attention from the rather thinly veiled agitation when Ardyn speaks back up. "I will have exceptionally cross words for Dr. Besithia soon enough for using my belongings without first asking me… but, he tells me there was rather astronomical data to be gathered from this little venture of his. Specifically where you're concerned."

Prompto blinks and tilts his head. They already knew he had magic—knew he could use it. He's told Ardyn about the ice magic, too. So, what data did they gather from that?

"Of course," Ardyn continues, before he can answer, "Your brother and sister also surpassed their expectations. Your sister, in particular, has impressed them; your brother, however… if he does not find himself pulling that temper of his under control, there could be rather dire consequences. Not just for you, but I would so hate to lose such a magnificent example of a fighter specimen."

Prompto bites hard on the inside of his cheek to keep from saying anything. To keep from arguing that his brother is more than just a specimen—that they're _all_ more than just specimen. It takes an effort, but he does manage and tries to think back to what Ardyn had asked him. The man still looks to be waiting for an answer of some sort and Prompto doesn't want to upset him if he can  
help it.

"He… got dropped into the tank with us and… he attacked Lo—uh… Twelve." The mark on his wrist tingles and burns and he flexes his hand a few times to ignore it. "He… my brother's going to be okay… right?"

His voice feels too quiet. He knows it's easier to get answers when he uses the designations; but, right now, worry overrides logic and he feels a knot of anxiety trying to twist and settle in his gut. Loqi was okay. He had to be.

"He is not dead, if that is what you intended to ask." Prompto's attention snaps to Ardyn; the man meets the surprised look evenly, nonchalant as ever. "He merely needs to be quarantined until they can assess if he has been infected. T'would be _quite_ the shame if he were, especially since this could have been avoided. However, I do not suspect that to be the data they were referring to. Continue, child."

Prompto frowns and wracks his brain for whatever Ardyn could be looking for. There wasn't anything to tell. They were attacked. _Loqi_ was attacked; Loqi would be the one sporting evidence of the attack, possibly even after the humans and the tank worked their strange healing magic.

"I-I don't… know what answer you're looking for, sir." That's an unsettling thing to admit to. Like he's going to be punished for not having answers. "My siblings—Twelve and Three, I mean, did most of the fighting, I didn't—?"

"Oh, but you _did_ ," The glow in the yellow eyes is unsettling and Prompto feels his tail trying to coil in on itself. "You've made rather marvelous progress for being the only one not actively observed. I do believe this calls for a celebration of sorts."

A celebration? Prompto blinks, uncertainty starting to build even higher. Before he can asks, the restraints in his tank emerge and the thoughts leave him completely with the surprise. It's been two months since he was restrained. What warrants him needing to be restrained—when did Ardyn even touch the computer? That's where the tanks, and ergo restraints, were controlled from, right? And why did he suddenly have four cuffs on his arms, he only had the two in the beginning, didn't he? Just the ones on his biceps, his wrists were cuffed last time, he's almost absolutely positive of that much. And he _definitely_ didn't have the large band just below his ribs, just shy of agitating his gills.

The smile Ardyn spares him sends a slow chill up his back, like a bundle of kelp slowly being dragged up his spine, and he tries to shrink in on himself, tries to sink down to the bottom of the tank.

"Well. I call it a celebration… but, you see, I can also be a rather petty individual. One who very much dislikes having his property appropriated and used, without his permission. I will indeed be having words with Dr. Besithia in the very near future; but, I also wish to teach him exactly why this is frowned upon… though, I suspect he'll only be cross for so long. He may even consider this a gift. Now, then… do try to hold still, dear boy."

Hold still—?

The second Prompto even thinks to question the words, he feels a sharp, heavy prick in his hip, just above where his tail starts, and a startled, agonised scream escapes before his body gives a violent, protesting lurch and his chest begins to burn. Before his body tries to make the change between breathing through gill and lung and he realises he's taken in a mouthful of water and his gills aren't filtering properly.

The tank drains as he's struggling not to start coughing, struggling not to swallow _more_ water. The second the water is below his ribs, the watery coughs escape as he feels his body desperately trying to expel the liquid from his lungs. 

As strange as that was—his body's never made such a sudden change _in_ the water—it's nothing compared to the pain that follows. Pain that's easily comparable to the mark on his wrist but much _bigger_.

It starts as a burning sensation—like swimming through the prickly plants that irritate his scales—before it turns into outright pain. Pinching, pulling pain centered where the prick had been and spreading along each scale like an infection. It's not until Prompto tries to curl in on himself that he finally realises _what_ exactly is happening.

Only his arms are restrained, he _should_ be able to coil his tail tighter to his body. He should he be able to try putting _some_ sort of pressure on the pain. _Should_ be able to.

At first, it's a tugging feeling. Like when Cindy or Loqi used to pinch his arm and give the smallest tug to get his attention, but _so much_ worse. Where his siblings only pinch hard enough to get his attention, this is _pulling_ at his skin where skin shouldn't even _be_. 

The effort it takes him to open his eyes, even a sliver, against the pain is immeasurable and, the second he succeeds, he immediately regrets it.

The tank is still draining; he's not sure where the water goes when it drains, but the levels are definitely still dropping. Slower and slower, as the water steadily changes from the light green but clear colour to red. Blood runs down from his hips and parts of his legs where some of the scales have already fallen away, but not all of them. Some spots on his legs—and it's so _weird_ to consider the limbs his own, even if he can't really grasp the concept or the situation around the pain at the moment; but, most of it is smooth skin, just like the rest of the human portion of his body. Some places, the scales take slivers of flesh with them, leaving open wounds exposed to the strangely cold air inside the tank.

It's only in passing he really registers that his scales don't dissolve. Whenever he's seen Loqi and Cindy shift, their scales turn into sea foam and wash away. For him? His scales are blue specks against bloody water, serving as a constant reminder of what exactly is happening, even if he doesn't understand. By the time the water's down to where his fin stars, only half of his scales have fallen away. He can bend his legs—knees. Loqi called the joints knees, humans had knees— _Prompto_ has knees. If this were any other situation he might be fascinated; right now, all he can do is try to endure the pain. Everything hurts. His vision keeps blurring in and out—whether from the tears or because he's seconds from losing consciousness, he can't tell—and _everything_ hurts. Not just his legs. _Everything_.

His arms, pulled out in rigid positioning the same way Loqi had been in until Cindy woke up. He can't even find the strength to try curling his fingers into a fist, but he can feel his hands shaking. His entire body, at that, is wracked with a faint tremble. His back hurts and he wonders if the scales up his back fell off, as well, or if they faded into his skin like Loqi's and Cindy's do. 

His throat hurts, hoarse from the crying and coughing up water and the screams that have long died off. His ribs hurt, as his entire weight is being held up and supported by the large band as the water drains. The band pushes under his rib cage, forcing him to try keeping a somewhat straight posture. It quickly proves to be too much effort and he slowly just gives up and accepts that the pain is inevitable. It's at least distracting him, a little bit, from the pain in his legs.

Everything is starting to sound muffled. More than usual. The tanks are always muffled, honestly; but, right now, _everything_ sounds like it does when he surfaces and the water takes too long to drain from his ears. He thinks he hears Loqi and Cindy. Maybe Besithia. Ardyn might be talking to him, again. But, he can't find the energy to raises his head to check. 

The last thing he really registers is how heavy his body feels. A brief sense of relief when he feels the restraints loosen, easing him to the bottom of his tank. Slow. Careful. Better than collapsing, he knows that much. His legs protest the motion, protest bending to accommodate the cramped space becoming smaller as he's lowered; but, instead of pain, everything just feels numb. Everything still hurts, absolutely; but, he's not actively registering it as pain anymore. Not really. If absolutely nothing else, the side of the tank feels nice—cool, soothing. Helps distract him from the fact he's sitting in some strange mixture of tank water and blood and his scales.

All he can really do is hope that, when he wakes up, maybe everything hurts a little less. Hope that Loqi and Cindy are there to help him figure this out.

Or, to at least tell him everything's going to be okay, even when they all know it isn't.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So… this is basically three weeks late and I do owe everyone an apology. Life and mental health decided to remind me they exist (spoiler: I did not miss them. At all.) So this chapter goes up with a few closing notes to be made, along with the content warning that was presented in the opening summary.
> 
> To expound—the chapters shouldn't get much more graphic than what was featured here. Should that change at any point in the future, I will supply sufficient warning in the same manner as was handled here and the rating will go up accordingly. If you believe I've miss tagged anything, please do inform me as these chapters are Mostly Not Beta'd. I stress beta them almost a full 24-hours before posting; but, sometimes, things are still missed. So if you ever spot something wonky, please let me know ♥
> 
> …Now the notes I don't want make but need to. So… y'all may or may not have noticed that I took the Updates Monday note out of the summary. It felt appropriate, given the uh… three week wait here. That said, updates are going to become a bit sporadic for a while. It's nothing fandom related and is mostly personal and life related. This chapter fought me. A lot. Despite the fact this and the next like three chapters are all chapters I've been looking forward to from the get-go. Because Nice Things can finally start happening, so I definitely want the next chapter out kind of timely but it's still probably going to be ~two weeks. Mostly, my roommate's birthday is soon and I have _barely_ started what I was doing for her (and if ur reading this I'm sorry but I am Determined to get it done) (I lov u) (alSO STOP MAKING MY CAT FAT.)
> 
> So, I think at least a small handful of you know some of my other fics and, even if you don't, you might've noticed of the XV fics I have posted… three are Promptis. One is Ravus/Loqi. Which leaves eight as Gladnis. So… y'all can probably tell I kind of have a pretty heavy bias towards what I write. But uh… anyways. I do love Promptis and I really love this fic and everyone has been _extremely_ welcoming and encouraging on this, but I also need to take a few steps back and re-evaluate my life choices.
> 
> I work 40+ hours a week (officially it's forty, but, y'know… you never really stop working, even off the clock), I have to do Human Life Things ~~(I have a financial meeting tomorrow and I'm terrified, yay)~~ , and I had a mild existential crisis regarding writing. Specifically that I haven't written my main ship in nearly three months and other things happened but they're being handled ♥ Anyhozit, this note got away from me, so I'll see you guys soon-like ♥I need me a healthy dollop of Gladnis and to start mentally preparing myself for the next few chapters because Nice Things At Last (But Voices Kiri Isn't Very Familiar With).
> 
> Thank you all so much for always reading and leaving kind words, even if it's something as small as saying you enjoyed it, _I_ enjoy knowing people do like it. So, really. Thank you ♥

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, I'm Kiri and I really love Merfolk AUs. This is in collaboration with the lovely [Izumi](https://izuumii.tumblr.com/) and [Lacie](https://celiceys.tumblr.com/) who are drawing A LOT OF CUTE ART that will begin appearing with Chapter 2 ♥ Thank you both so much for keeping me on track for this and feeding me ideas and letting me incorporate _your_ ideas ;u; ♥
> 
> And a Super Special Thanks to [Lizi](http://lizibabbles.tumblr.com/) for even encouraging me to stop being a scared gerbil and talk to them /)//w\\\\(\ and of course being The Best Support as always ;u;
> 
> Please enjoy \o/  
> ♥ Comments make Kiri happy, but please note she is not accepting criticism if it lacks a constructive base. Please do not repost Kiri's work anywhere. ♥
> 
> * * *
> 
> You can find a Kiri on tumblr @kiriosities {main}, @road-trip-memories {ffxv fic blog}, and twitter @acemadeofglass, as well!


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